COUNTY OF LEHIGH Office of Public Information Government Center 17 South Seventh Street Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101-2401 Phone: 610-782-3001 Fax: 610-820-3615 Donald T. Cunningham, Jr., County Executive

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June 30, 2006                                                                                   Frank Kane

                                                                                                            (610) 782-3304

Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham Rolls Out Comprehensive Bridge Rehabilitation Program

2007 capital plan to feature rehabilitation of 7 county bridges and set the tone to repair several more over next four years

Allentown – Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham today announced plans to rehabilitate the first seven Lehigh County bridges as part of his administration’s new commitment to improving the county’s infrastructure. 

“I promised the residents of Lehigh County that we would fix what’s broken and spend their money wisely,” said Cunningham at a ribbon cutting to open Mickley Road Bridge in Whitehall Township.  “That’s what Lehigh County has done in cooperation with the Whitehall Township Commissioners here on Mickley Road Bridge, and that’s what we’ll continue to do over the next four years.”

The five-year capital plan submitted by Cunningham to the Board of Commissioners includes repairs and rehabilitation to the Linden Street Bridge over Jordan Creek, the Coplay/Northampton Bridge over the Lehigh River, the Schmoyer’s Mill Bridge, the Kochers Bridge, the Lyon Valley Bridge on Old Village Road, the Manassas-Guth covered Bridge, and the Pine Street Bridge over the Lehigh River.  Later this year major rehabilitation of the Walnut Street Bridge in Slatington will also begin.

“Bridges and infrastructure are a core responsibility of county government, and I plan to continue to fix what’s broken and make life easier for the residents of Lehigh County that cross these bridges every day,” said Cunningham.  “That’s why I’ve earmarked $773,000 of general fund operating dollars to jump start these important bridge projects.”

Over the past ten years, deferred maintenance and neglect has created a situation where more than half of the county’s bridges are in some form of disrepair. 

The Mickley Road Bridge was closed for sixteen months during the construction, and improvements cost just under $2 million.   

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