Manayunk Bridge Opens Monday After 6 Straight Days Of Closure

MANAYUNK, PA -- The Manayunk Bridge opened Monday morning after being closed for six straight days in the wake of Tuesday’s snow and ice storm.

The bridge itself has been largely covered in an inch or two of alternating slush and ice, much of which has rapidly melted as temperatures soared into the upper 40s and 50s over the weekend.

Hikers and even a few bikers accessed the Cynwyd Trail on the Lower Merion side of the river over the weekend. Parts of the trail were completed melted then, especially where there was no shade. Other sections remain coated in a thin layer of slippery slush. By Monday morning, the bridge had a path completely clear of snow, and most of the Cynwyd Trail was cleared.

The bridge, which connects Philadelphia to Montgomery County across the Schuylkill River (and includes a painted border line at its center), is leased by Lower Merion Township, which controls use of the bridge and decides when to open and close the gates.

Patch has reached out to Lower Merion Township for comment on how the decision to shut down the bridge due to inclement weather is made.

The Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation is in charge of physically opening and closing the gates. The Manayunk Development Corporation also assists in the management of the bridge.

The bridge connects to the Cynwyd Trail on the Lower Merion side, which is managed by the Friends of Cynwyd Heritage Trail.

The Manayunk Bridge Trail, which opened last August, previously served SEPTA’s Cynwyd Line.

Local residents expressed frustration when the bridge was shut down early, beginning on November 1. From Nov. 1 through March 31, the hours are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Hours will be extended beginning April 1, through October 31, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

"Many commuters and early-morning exercisers would be better served if the gates opened at 6 a.m., rather than 8 a.m., said Harry Conry, a board member with the Friends of Cynwyd Heritage Trail.

According to the Philadelphia Bicycle Coalition, officials will not keep the bridge open after dark until proper lighting is installed on the bridge, something which is allegedly in the works.

Photos by Justin Heinze