YORK COUNTY, Pa. — On the north branch of the Muddy Creek in East Hopewell Township, York County, you’ll find Tim Diehl.
Right next to his house, you’ll also find the Muddy Creek Forks Road Bridge, which has been off-limits for nearly a year.
“[PennDOT] put up their barriers, they put up their signs and without any warning or heads-up, they shut the bridge down," said Diehl.
PennDOT was forced to close the tiny bridge to traffic on September 15, 2023, after an inspection revealed significant deterioration to its beams.
The closure has forced people like Tim to drive out of the way just to get to the other side.
“It’s causing a massive inconvenience to the local community," said Diehl. "The worst stories I hear, the ones really suffering are the children riding on [school] buses. I hear from parents it’s adding another hour to their day.”
While last winter was relatively mild, Diehl says he and others are worried about the potential impact of the bridge closure during a major snowstorm.
“That remains to be seen, the effects of the bridge closure on public safety, ice hazards, road conditions so you can imagine as property owners, we’re very anxious about that as well," he explained.
Diehl says they were originally told by the state the bridge may remain closed until 2034.
“10 years from now, I’ll be at retirement age and that means for ten years this whole community is driving completely around the valley, [being] inconvenienced," he said.
There is some good news though.
PennDOT is trying to move the project along much faster.
According to Dave Thompson, district press officer for PennDOT District 8, the bridge was previously expected to be programmed for funding in 2034. Now the state is working with the York Municipal Planning Organization to program funding for 2025. This means if funding is approved, the design process could start next year. It's not yet known how long construction could take.
A decision about the funding will be made in October.
“It’s time for a new bridge, we understand that and we definitely understand a reasonable timeframe, but waiting six to 10 years for a bridge replacement is outrageous," said Diehl.
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