Uniting Connellsville: McCray Robb Bridge reopens
10 months, 11 days, 13 hours, 15 minutes.
Connellsville Mayor Greg Lincoln has been keeping count of how long the McCray Robb Bridge has been closed. On Monday, the count stopped, and hundreds of people came to downtown Connellsville to celebrate the opening of the $11.5 million reconstruction project that cut off the simplest way to get downtown in the city for nearly one year.
“It’s about time,” laughed Elizabeth Lump, who said her route home from work has been extended “significantly” since construction of the bridge started at the beginning of the year. “I’m glad it’s done, and I’m glad it was done on time.”
Named after Civil War veteran and slain Connellsville police officer McCray Robb, it seemed fitting to celebrate the reopening of the namesake bridge on Veterans Day. Spectators of all ages donned patriotic gear to listen to Lincoln give remarks before taking the inaugural walk on the reopened bridge.
According to PennDOT District Executive Rachel Duda, the bridge now has an expanded area for vehicles, a seven-foot-wide bike lane, and a six-foot-wide sidewalk.
“I know there was some frustration (waiting for the bridge to open) but it was a short-term inconvenience for a long-term improvement, and I think you’ll see that it’s been worth it,” Duda said during the ceremony.
And while Monday was a day of celebration, plenty of sacrifices were made during the nearly year-long construction.
Owner of the Atkins Music Center Denise Friel said that the closure cost her “at least one-third” of her business.
Friel, whose business is located at 166 W. Crawford Ave. just off the bridge’s west end, attributed the drop in sales to how difficult it was for customers to access the business.
“I was inside a box,” she said. “It felt like the store was in a blockade, and all the equipment was right there in front of my store and people thought they weren’t able to come down.”
Michael Edwards, executive director of Connellsville Redevelopment Authority, said he was glad the bridge is open and recognized the type of economic hardship it has caused local businesses, like the Atkins Music Center.
“It really has affected a lot of local businesses. Most (business owners) have said they lost about 75% of their business during the time,” Edwards said. “It is a major thoroughfare with 20,000 cars that pass through it daily, so it brings a lot of visibility.”
Edwards said that despite the inconvenience, the traffic and the parking issues caused by construction, none of the businesses had to close.
As a way to celebrate the structure’s reopening, the Connellsville Park and Recreational Board raffled off tickets for those who wanted to become the first to walk, bike, drive and kiss on the new McCray Robb Bridge.
“We had five days to pull off (this fundraiser,) and I thought, ‘I’d be happy if we sold 50 tickets,” said board President James Flynn. “We sold almost 600 tickets, and the response is really incredible.”
Winning first walk was Amy, Gianna, Lincoln and Jamison Shelkey and Jody Merindina along with Ken Lee Dewitt. The first bike ride went to Dale Kooser, the first kiss went to Donna and Kenny Brooks, and Dennis Kooser, his wife Jennifer and their granddaughter Adison Miller took the first drive.
“I thought it would be something my grandchildren can look back in 40 or 50 years from now and get a kick of it,” said Kooser who drove his Ram Diesel truck across the bridge. “It’s a part of history.”