An early Christmas gift for drivers and cyclists in the area.
PennDOT plans to reopen the Elm Street Bridge in Conshohocken this afternoon about one year after it closed for need improvements.
The bridge that spans over the Plymouth Creek and the Cross County Bicycle Trail opened in 1924 and carries nearly 7,000 vehicles daily.
The previous concrete beam bridge was 149 feet long and 27 feet wide and was deemed structurally-deficient. The new span is a composite prestressed spread box beam bridge with a reinforced concrete deck.
“We are excited to reopen Elm Street and to provide our customers with a safe, modern bridge that will serve their transportation needs for decades to come,” PennDOT District Executive Lester Toaso said.
The $3.144 million project -- funded with 80 percent federal funds and 20 percent state funds -- began last December. Crews removed and replaced the bridge’s deck, beams and center pier; constructed a new retaining wall along the bike path and improved drainage.
Photo Credit: NBC10