LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — Editor's note: The above video is from July 18, 2023.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is planning an "extensive" rehabilitation of a major bridge between Lancaster and York counties.
The Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge, also known as the Veterans Memorial Bridge, that carries Route 462 across the Susquehanna River will undergo construction starting in 2027.
The $234 million project is expected to take five years. According to a PennDOT spokesperson, the bridge itself is expected to be closed for three of those years.
The project was originally supposed to start last spring, but structural deficiencies found during an inspection in 2023 forced PennDOT to enact a weight limit and perform interim repairs first before starting the rehabilitation.
"The major bridge rehabilitation is delayed until PennDOT and FHWA complete additional engineering and environmental evaluation studies for the long-term rehabilitation of the bridge," PennDOT said.
Some of the goals of the project include:
- Addressing structural deficiencies on the bridge, which naturally occur over time
- Improving connections for cyclists and pedestrians accessing Columbia Borough’s Northwest River Trail and River Park by adding wayfinding signs and pavement markings
- Improving connections for cyclists and pedestrians accessing Wrightsville Borough’s Mason-Dixon Trail and Riverfront Park by adding wayfinding signs, pavement markings and sidewalk improvements
- Improving the Wrightsville Borough five-point intersection of Routes 462 and 624 (Hellam Street) with North and South 2nd Streets by constructing a roundabout
- Adding a traffic-calming central median at the eastern end of the bridge on Route 462 at the North 2nd Street intersection
- Providing lighting improvements above the bridge deck to enhance traveler safety during the annual mayfly season
"PennDOT will announce additional public input sessions for the long-term bridge rehabilitation project in the spring/summer of 2024," PennDOT said. "The bridge rehabilitation project is anticipated to begin in Winter/Spring 2027 subject to all approvals, environmental clearances, and funding availability."
The bridge was first opened to traffic in 1930 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.