Expect delays on area roads due to trail bridge projects
Tuesday begins a period of several days when the last two unfinished Montour Trail bridges in the county will be placed above Valley Brook Road in Peters Township and in Venice, Cecil Township.
“It’s all about increasing the safety of trail users,” said Mark Imgrund, project manager of the Valley Brook No. 2 bridge just west of Route 19. “Having to cross busy, high-traffic roads is tricky at best, and a real barrier for many.”
The other new trail bridge will be in Venice, western Cecil Township, where it will span Route 50 and Route 980.
Located where old, low railroad structures had been removed, both bridges have been in the planning stages for more than 15 years, but had to wait until funding, permitting, design and utility issues were resolved.
Steel girders for both bridges were fabricated in Pennsylvania. Marricco Contracting of Peters Township will be assembling and lifting sections of the $1.6 million Valley Brook bridge starting Tuesday. Structural steel should be in place by the end of the week, followed by preparation for pouring a concrete deck. Construction activities are expected to continue for another two to three months.
CH&D Enterprises of New Stanton is the contractor for the overall $2.3 million project at Venice, including the bridge and the road realignment. Planned next week is the refitting of one span of the former railroad bridge and setting it over Millers Run. After that, the new girders will be brought in and erected over Route 50 and over the future location of Route 980. The entire project should be done by the end of October.