PennDOT announced last week that it is about to replace the bridge carrying Jonestown’s South Lancaster Street (SR 1003) over the Little Swatara Creek. The bridge connects Jonestown to Bunker Hill.

The 70 year old four span steel I-beam bridge is the main entry to Jonestown from the south, and carries over 2,500 vehicles daily.

Weather permitting, the bridge will be closed between Quarry Road and Mill Street starting Monday, May 11, according to PennDOT.

PennDOT expects the new bridge to be open by the end of 2020.

A detour following Market Street, Jonestown Road, Route 72, New Bunkerhill Street, and Old Jonestown Road will be available for motorists.

(PennDOT)

Crews performing preliminary sight preparation work were on location on Monday morning, May 4.

The $3.8 million dollar project includes the design, removal, and replacement of the existing structure over the Little Swattie. The new, wider bridge will have two 11-foot lanes, an 8-foot wide shoulder on the northbound side, and a 6-foot wide shoulder on the southbound side.

A PennDOT news release noted that “[w]ork on this project will be in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and state Department of Health guidance as well as a project-specific COVID-19 safety plan, which will include protocols for social distancing, use of face coverings, personal and job-site cleaning protocols, management of entries to the job site, and relevant training.”

Motorists can check road conditions statewide by going to www.511PA.com, which is free and available 24 hours a day.

Chris Coyle writes primarily on government, the courts, and business. He retired as an attorney at the end of 2018, after concentrating for nearly four decades on civil and criminal litigation and trials. A career highlight was successfully defending a retired Pennsylvania state trooper who was accused,...

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