The plan to remove a heavily-traveled Main Street, Pennsburg bridge next year is now being shelved in lieu of new findings, PennDOT officials said.  The entire project will have to be altered due to several factors which will move it back until at least Oct. 2017.

According to Darrell M. Merritt, PennDOT project manager, the bridge, which carries more than 10,000 vehicles per day, will have to be looked at in more detail because not only did the state find wetlands at the location, they are also working to accommodate Montgomery County, which has plans for a multi-use trail there.

"According to our environmental consultants, there is a water course there with connectivity to the Macoby Creek and wetlands at the location," Merritt said.  "We've had to change the scope of the project."

Merritt said in September PennDOT's environmental consultant went in and determined the boundaries of those wetlands, but the agency is waiting on the state Department of Environmental Protection to also survey the area and see if they agree with those findings.

Merritt said the state doesn't want to impact the environmental condition in any way.

But a bigger objective, which he said he was unaware of as of the agency's public plan presentation in April of this year, was the need to accommodate the county's conceptual plan for a multi-use trail there.

The objective of that trail is to provide a connector to Montgomery County's Perkiomen Trail, according to statements made by Matt Edmond, section chief of transportation planning for the Montgomery County Planning Commission, at the April meeting.  In that case, he said, replacing the bridge instead of removing it would be beneficial.

"As far as the county's concerned, it's just a line on a map right now.  Maybe a bridge would be better.  If we're early enough in the design process maybe we could make it a win-win," Edmond said.

So now, the type of structure to replace the bridge with is up in the air, as are where the trail would go and how to provide for the wetlands, Merritt said.

The original project was estimated to cost $2.3 million and will be paid for with all state funds.  If federal monies become available they will utilized as well, Merritt said this spring.  The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, according to their agenda posted online, is scheduled to discuss the recommendation of utilizing federal monies for the Pennsburg project at their Wednesday meeting, which was too late for press deadline.

The former Reading Railroad bridge is 87 years old, according to PennDOT records.  Merritt said previously removing it altogether would be the agency's preference so they wouldn't have to maintain a structure there anymore.

Previous plans call for a widening of the roadway, which would be reconstructed with six-feet-wide sidewalks on both sides.  Utility poles would need to be relocated as part of the project, under Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards that call for the poles to be installed outside the sidewalk.

Guiderails wouldn't be utilized once the roadway is lowered, but a pedestrian safety railing would be installed on both sides of the road, Merritt said.

The reconstruction would not only improve sight distance at the location, which is currently poor for southbound traffic approaching the 11th Street signal, it will also improve pedestrian access.  Pedestrian traffic is heavy in the area because of its proximity to Upper Perkiomen High School on Walt Road.

The project will also improve drainage and signage at the site, Merritt said.

Vehicular traffic would be detoured 12 miles around the project from Route 73 in Zieglerville to Route 663 in New Hanover Township, then back to Main Street/Route 29 approximately 1 mile north of the construction.

        The roadway isn't wide enough to allow traffic to go around construction, nor would it be plausible to have the route remain open with the grading of the road being drastically changed, Merritt said, comparing it to recent work on Route 29 in the Palm section of Upper Hanover Township.

        Local traffic would unofficially use secondary roads as a detour around the work, officials said.

        The project would also include the construction of a temporary pedestrian walkway, using fencing and tape, around the work.  It will funnel walkers through the parking lots of Pennsburg businesses like Professional Pharmacy and Sands Bros. in the 900 block of Main Street back onto 11th Street.

        Merritt acknowledged the concerns of those business owners and others, like Reed Sign's Ron and Brian Reed, who found it troublesome they could not only with lose property due to right-of-way acquisitions by PennDOT for the project, but also lose access to their business and parking lot.

        Merritt said he is addressing concerns and working with business owners and residents as issues arise, but the whole project may now be drastically altered.

        "The next move is that we are going to have a meeting with DEP or the US Army Corps. of Engineers to get their opinion on what type of replacement structure we need," Merritt said.  "There are a lot of additional things we didn't foresee there."