Brownsville readies for road closure during cast-iron bridge reconstruction
Market Street to be closed until early 2026 for construction
A parking lot might be what helps Brownsville businesses and residents weather the traffic nightmare over the next year or so with the closure of Market Street while crews refurbish the historic cast-iron bridge over Dunlap Creek.
The state Department of Transportation closed the main roadway through the borough today as part of a $9 million project to remove, rehabilitate and reassemble the 185-year-old bridge, which is the first cast-iron metal arch bridge built in the United States.
A lengthy posted detour is designed to take traffic to Route 40 on the Lane Bane Bridge and through West Brownsville before returning on the Brownsville Bridge back into the other side of town. But a bicycle and pedestrian detour on nearby Charles Street, which might also be used by local traffic, connects with a centralized parking lot next to Snowdon Place that residents think will help alleviate any pain caused by the closure.
“It’s going to be interesting,” said George Hough, who is a tech and cashier at Brownsville Family Pharmacy on Market Street just a few feet from the cast-iron bridge. “The closing of the road, it’ll just slow traffic down.”
Hough recalled how Market Street was temporarily closed in October 2020 when a vacant structure nearby collapsed, but they didn’t see a downturn in business. Instead, they still had their usual customers who accessed a parking lot across the roadway from either side.
“I don’t remember seeing a shift because you can get in the parking lot and cross over here,” he said.
Samantha Jenkins, who owns Mutts on Market Street grooming salon a few doors down from the pharmacy, had a similar perspective.
“I’m not concerned about people getting in because the parking lot is still accessible,” Jenkins said. “That parking lot is vital.”
She does wonder whether that lack of traffic through town could hurt her business, or if people coming from out of town might decide not to visit because of confusion about the closure and detour.
“My biggest concern is losing business from people who drive by since I’m not going to be as visible,” she said, while acknowledging there will be short-term pain for long-term benefits. “I’m excited it’s getting done. We need the improvements. As long as everyone pushes through together, we’ll get through it.”
The bridge is of such historic nature that lengthy studies were performed on how best to preserve it. The bridge was constructed in 1839 and carried travelers over Dunlap Creek along what was an original section of the National Road. The bridge holds the designation on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
Construction crews have been working in recent weeks to prepare the site around the cast-iron bridge for demolition. An excavator could be seen working on Wednesday to remove a concrete support over Dunlap Creek.
Crews will eventually dismantle the cast-iron bridge piece by piece and take it away to refurbish the parts before rebuilding the historic span. PennDOT officials hope to reopen the bridge in early 2026, although that schedule is dependent on weather and other factors.
Until then, borough officials have made plans on how to operate with the main road through town closed to all traffic.
Brownsville police Chief John Brant said his officers and the fire department will still be able to access both sides of the borough using the Charles Street bridge detour that runs parallel to Market Street. His biggest worry is if tractor-trailers that typically roll through town miss the detour or if their GPS directions aren’t aware of the closure.
“It’s an inconvenience, but it won’t be too bad,” Brant said. “In the long run, it’ll be a big improvement.”
At the Brownsville Free Public Library, which is situated along Charles Street, library Director Lori Barron wondered how much traffic might be speeding past their building. An orange detour sign on the Charles Street Bridge shows it’s mainly meant for bicyclists and pedestrians, but it will be an option for motorists, too.
“Our only concern is people flying on this (Charles Street) bridge and not stopping at the stop sign. Just be careful,” she said as they brace for the lengthy closure. “But it will still be nice when it’s done.”