County Council dedicates Old Forge Road bridge

Council stresses importance of bridge maintenance and preservation 

Delaware County Council dedicated the new $1.2 million Old Forge Road bridge, which crosses the Rocky Run Creek in Middletown near the intersection with Yearsley Mill Road.

While dedicating the new bridge, County Council stressed the importance of maintaining and preserving all bridges in the county as critical links in the county’s transportation system.

The Old Forge Road bridge, No. 209, also called the Meyers Bridge, replaces the original bridge built in 1916.

County Council was joined by officials from Middletown Township and members of two Middletown fire companies who arrived in apparatus to lead the first crossing over the new bridge.

“In Delaware County, we are committed to inspecting, maintaining or, when necessary, rebuilding the 44 bridges that the County is responsible for as they are crucial to our transportation system,” said Delaware County Councilman Dave White, Council’s liaison to the Department of Public Works.

White said it is the job of the Department of Public Works to ensure public safety by maintaining the county infrastructure, to secure the funding to accomplish that, and to see the work through to a successful conclusion.

He said the Old Forge Road bridge project was funded through a combination of 80 percent federal dollars, 15 percent state dollars and 5 percent county funds from the liquid fuels tax fund. No general funds from the county budget were used.

Councilman White said Delaware County takes a proactive approach to bridge inspection and maintenance.

“For all of you here today, I am pretty sure you crossed at least one bridge to get here. And you will cross another to get to your job, and another to get back home,” White said. “Bridges and their safety are a critical component of our transportation system. They are also critical to our school districts who transport our children, and to our police, firefighters and emergency responders who need to respond quickly to an emergency and detours add to their response time.”

There are more than 250,000 bridges in Pennsylvania, which represents the third largest number of state bridges in the nation. The average age for a bridge in Pennsylvania is 50 years.