Montgomery County Gets Funding From State To Improve Bridges

NORRISTOWN, PA — A project organized by Gov. Wolf's office will benefit bridges across Montgomery County.

The new Road Maintenance and Preservation (Road MaP) initiative will provide funding to new bridges and bridges in need of repair through Act 89, the state's transportation plan which collects the $5 vehicle registration fee. The Road MaP initiative is available to counties in Pennsylvania which have taken steps to enhance their transportation networks by collecting that fee, officials said.

“Our program is aimed at helping counties deal with the significant backlog of needed work on their bridges,” Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Leslie S. Richards said. “Nearly 31 percent of county bridges are structurally deficient, and nearly 35 percent in Montgomery County are in that category. This partnership helps counties address this critical mobility issue.”

The first project to receive funding in the county will be the new bridge on Waverly Road over Tacony Creek in Cheltenham Township, state officials said.

The $2 million bridge replacement will use federal funds made available for local bridge partnerships.

The program will also be used to fund the Camp Wawa Road Bridge over the East Branch of the Perkiomen Creek in Lower Salford. The $2.6 million will replace the closed steel thru bridge.

"The Road MaP initiative is a great way for counties to take action to reduce the backlog of structurally deficient bridges in Pennsylvania. Getting those bridges in a state of good repair is a priority," said DVRPC Associate Director for Transportation, Elizabeth Schoonmaker. "Montgomery County's decision to implement the additional $5 vehicle registration fee ultimately benefits the entire Greater Philadelphia region. It's a great example of a local action with a regional impact."

Officials hope Road MaP will improve 6,536 locally owned bridges across the state.

Patch file photo