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State reveals plan to replace section of closed Charleroi-Monessen span
sbeveridge@observer-reporter.com
NORTH CHARLEROI - The historic section of the Charleroi-Monessen Bridge, which closed two months because of deterioration, will be demolished and replaced at a rapid pace.
The state Department of Transportation will invest $40 million in the work that involves replacing a 1,000-foot stretch of the bridge over the Monongahela River, the agency announced Thursday.
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PennDOT abruptly closed the bridge Feb. 19 when an inspection revealed a number of rusted, broken or missing pin joints holding up the span on the Monessen side of the river.
Engineers since have been considering a number of options, including one to perform a quick-fix and open the span with a low weight limit.
That option would permanently reroute a local bus line between Pittsburgh and California, whose riders have been experiencing longer trips since the bridge closed.
"We know how much disruption this bridge being closed has caused these communities," said state Sen. J. Barry Stout, who attended Thursday's meeting.
"We have to have a safe bridge for commerce," said Stout, D-Eighty Four.
Members of the Charleroi Area Historical Society have been lobbying PennDOT to preserve the bridge because it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The 103-year-old span earned the listing because of its engineering style that used pins rather than rivets to hold it together. The society also believes the bridge is historic because a Charleroi resident, former Pennsylvania Gov. John K. Tener, played a major role in getting the bridge built.
"Well, they are going to have a fight on their hands," society member Nikki Sheppick said upon learning the bridge will be replaced.
PennDOT is required under state and federal preservation laws to consult with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission before the bridge is razed. The consultation could end in a compromise with PennDOT completing an extensive historic file on the span for the state archives.
Szczur said he does not "anticipate issues will arise" with the commission.
"I'm hoping for cooperation," he said.
All but a few of the 15 people who attended the meeting applauded when they heard the announcement of a new bridge.
Construction is expected to begin this fall after a contractor is hired to design and build the new span. A stone pier in the middle of the river will need to be replaced because it was built on a wooden foundation.
The "design and build" approach to construction will save PennDOT money by eliminating its process of engineering and designing new projects, Szczur said. It will allow for the bridge to be rebuilt by the end of 2011.
As tribute to Tener, a way to honor his contributions will be included on the new bridge.
The three original overhead trusses likely will be dismantled rather than imploded to keep barge traffic moving on the river, Stout said.
"This will be unprecedented," Szczur said. "We're going to pull off something exceptional."
Char-Mon Bridge : 4/17/2009
Gig suprise that after 4 meetings with various individuals, they decide to replace it. This has always been about the MMVTA. Go forbid it takes the besses longer to get somewhere. What about all the businesses suffering in Monessen, Charleroi, and N. Charleroi. In 2 1/2 years some will have gone under. Perhaps we can get bus driver jobs when we are unemployed. the least they coul do is open the bridge with a weight restriction UNTIL the are ready to work on it.
Hmmmmm : 4/17/2009
Seems strange that they want to tear down historical assets that can be utilized to start river heritage tourism in the Mon Valley when only one pin needs to be replaced and that will only cost 1 million dollars. Why the rush job? Point Marion has been "under construction for going on a decade - why is this one being slicked through? And new bridges do not last for crap, that even the PennDOT officials acknowledge that new ones are lucky to last 50 years. They just do not build them like they used to as is evident with that bridge. Better take pictures while you can - evidently what certain elected officials want, they get - no matter if it hurts anything else that others are trying to create on and with the river areas. Keep on fighting to save the bridge!!!
Yep, you are right. : 4/17/2009
Absolutely TRUE kimbah - and it would only cost 1 million to fix one pin on the Monessen side under the smallest span. Go figure. But we all know that people will cry to get it done asap due to it being closed and putting the hurts to them. Now you know how the politicization works with these kinds of things.
Wasted Money : 4/20/2009
Close the bridge and force people to use 70 or the Donora-Monessen span. This a true waste of taxpayers dollars. How many people actually use this bridge? If they do rebuld it , it should go back to being a toll bridge to pay for itself. $40 million is alot of money to spend on something that will only benefit several hundred people. Especially when there are so many other bridges a short drive away. And where are these businesses you speak of? Downtown Monessen is rapidly catching up to Brownsville in the number of empty buildings. There is no reason to replace this bridge except to appease MMVTA or help the drug dealers move their wares from Monessen to Charleroi and vice versa. Spend the money on something that would better benefit the area, such as developing some of the waterfront property like they did in Homestead.
Historic Bridge Worth Saving : 4/27/2009
PennDOT needs to change its attitude toward historic bridges and listen to those who want this beautiful historic bridge saved, particularly by slowly and carefully following the Section 106 process for historic bridges, and considering seriously the opinions of those in favor of preservation, as well as preservation alteratives to demolition. The bridge could be restored and continue to safely serve traffic while also being a historic landmark. I live in Michigan and have repeatedly made trips to PA to see bridges including this one because we don't have any bridges like this in my state. Historic steel/iron bridges are what make Pennsylvania a unique and special state, but they are rapidly disappearing.
