YORK COUNTY, Pa. — The Slate Hill Road Bridge, which carries Slate Hill Road over the Yellow Breeches Creek in Lower Allen and Fairview Townships, was closed Thursday following a scheduled safety inspection by the National Bridge Inspection Standards program.
The closure is for the safety of residents, according to a press release issued by Cumberland and York counties, who jointly own the span.
Engineers inspecting the bridge on Thursday determined that several components of the bridge were in poor condition. There was also evidence that the bridge has been used by overweight vehicles, the counties said in their press release.
As a result, the counties said, the bridge is no longer safe for traffic.
The bridge as also closed in 2017 after inspections determined that overweight vehicles had made it unsafe.
Approximately 1,600 vehicles cross over the Slate Hill Bridge every day, according to a traffic count completed in 2019. The bridge has a three-ton weight limit.
Built in 1900, the Slate Hill Bridge is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, the counties said. It is a four-span, earth-filled, stone masonry arch bridge.
The bridge has been slated to undergo extensive renovations and restoration scheduled to begin in May, according to the counties.
"For the safety of our residents, and the preservation of the bridge, it will remain closed until late December, the expected completion of the project," the counties' release concluded.
