MIDDLESEX TWP., Cumberland County, PA — Cumberland County announced today that the reopening of Bernheisel Bridge has been delayed until no later than February 12, 2016. The bridge has been closed since October 15, 2015 and was slated for reopening on January 15, 2016. County officials were notified by the contractor, Lobar Site Development, on January 8 that fabrication delays for the bridge’s protective safety railing and conflicts between guardrail installation and underground utilities would preclude the bridge from reopening according to schedule.
The Cumberland County Commissioners awarded a $1,352,734 contract to Lobar Site Development of Dillsburg, PA for a superstructure replacement of Bernheisel Bridge in Middlesex Township on July 20, 2015. The project involved the replacing the bridge’s superstructure that includes the beams, deck, and barrier. Bernheisel Bridge is a 55-year old, 4 span, 257 foot long, non-composite prestressed concrete adjacent box beam bridge that crosses over Conodoguinet Creek. The bridge exhibited critical deficiencies including longitudinal and transverse cracking of the beams that caused the bridge to be classified as structurally deficient and warrant its replacement.
The project is part of the county’s Bridge Capital Improvement Plan which details over $14 million of bridge replacement or repair projects throughout the county in the next 6 years. The primary funding source for the plan is a $5 per vehicle registration fee that the county approved in early 2015. The fees will generate approximately $1.1 million a year and allow the county to address critical bridge needs without increasing taxes. The funds generated from the potential vehicle registration fee cannot be used for the County General Fund and are designated for roadways and bridges. To generate this level of revenue without the $5 registration fee, a 2.5% property tax increase each year for the next 6 years would need to be enacted.