Is The End In Sight For The Arcola Road Bridge?

When will the Arcola Road Bridge be ready for traffic? It's still unclear.

Lower Providence Township provided an update on the bridge replacement project on June 1, noting the progress made up to this point and laying out what still needs to be completed.

The majority of the work seems to be completed, according to the progress report:

As of June 1, 2016 the contractor completed the concrete placement for the continuity diaphragms and the negative moment regions of the bridge deck.

The contractor also completed the construction of the downstream vertical pedestrian parapet barrier across all three spans and the upstream vehicular parapet barrier on Spans 1 and 2.

The contractor has completed the construction of the concrete sleeper slab and approach slab at Abutment 2 and the construction of the vertical stem walls for the Wing D Extension. The contractor has also completed the backfill of the Wing D Extension and is currently installing formwork for the pedestrian barrier on the top of the Wing D Extension. The contractor has completed the construction of the new traffic signal foundations and is continuing with the installation of the signal conduits on the Cider Mill Road side of the project.

The contractor has completed the staining of the substructure concrete at Piers 1 & 2 and has started to remove portions of the temporary causeway from the creek. The contractor has also completed the reconstruction of the existing masonry wall at Wing B on the Cider Mill Road side of the project.

Meanwhile, next on the docket is the construction of the vehicular concrete barrier across the bridge deck. More structural support work will also be completed, in addition to the curb and the sidewalk that will go across the bridge.

Then, the new roadway pavement and guardrail can be installed.

Fr over two years, construction on the Arcola Road Bridge over the Perkiomen Creek has caused significant frustration and inconvenience for area residents.

The bridge was closed in August 2013 after it was found to have structural issues. Norristown and Upper and Lower Providence residents who used the bridge to get to and from Collegeville and Phoenixville have had to detour either via Ridge Pike or Egypt Road and Route 422.

It's also a key access point for bikers, hikers, and runners looking to use the Perkiomen River Trail, which connects to the Schuylkill River Trail.

All detour routes are bumper to bumper at rush hour, and frequently at other points during the week.

In October, residents expressed frustration that little progress had been made on the bridge over the last several months, and that some days, there are no workers at the site at all.

The project is an $8 million undertaking.