After delays, bridge project gets started this week
By Kelli Siehl, Staff Writer, The Times
Workers begin to install new red bridge rails at the opening of Red Bridge Farms.
POCOPSON — Plagued by material delays, replacement of the rails on the Red Bridge Farm development’s namesake bridge has finally begun.
Director of Township Public Works, Mark Knightly, reluctantly reported to officials during Monday’s Township Board of Supervisors’ meeting that materials were expected to arrive the following day and work would begin thereafter. Knightly said he was exercising caution because of past delays in receiving bridge material.
However, by Tuesday afternoon, township crews had removed one side of railing and were getting ready to attach the new guide rail.
Plans for replacement of the rails began over a year ago when Roger Hiss, representing the Red Bridge Farms Home Owners’ Association (HOA), noted that the HOA received a letter in 2009 from Pocopson Township outlining required repairs to the bridge.
Hiss told Supervisors the HOA could not proceed with plans to improve aesthetics of the structure until wooden posts and horizontal railings, labeled suspect during the last PennDOT inspection, were replaced by the township.
Maintaining cost effectiveness and safety and working with the Red Bridge Farm’s HOA, township officials voted several months ago to replace the existing wooden rails with a guide rail. The guide rail is being installed and then painted red to mimic the bridge’s original design.
