New Weight Restrictions Coming for Upper Dublin Bridges

Written by Tony Di Domizio and Leann Pettit

Four state-owned bridges in the Upper Dublin area will be posted with new or lowered weight restrictions soon to improve safety and lessen rates of deterioration.

The bridges include:

• Church Road in Fort Washington where it crosses over the Wissahickon Creek.
• Bethlehem Pike in Fort Washington where it crosses over Sandy Run Creek.
• Dreshertown Road in Fort Washington where it crosses Sandy Run Creek.
• Pennsylvania Ave. in Fort Washington where it crosses Sandy Run Creek.
• DeKalb Pike in Lower Gwynedd where it crosses the Wissahickon Creek.

These are just four of 63 state-owned bridges in the five-county area to be affected by new Pennsylvania Department of Transportation safety mandates. All in all, there are more than 1,000 structurally-deficient bridges in Pennsylvania, according to PennDOT secretary Barry Schoch. 

The new restrictions will also affect 48 county- or municipal-owned bridges in the five-county region.

These bridges locally are:

• Virginia Drive in Fort Washington where it crosses Pine Run Creek.
• Twining Road in Oreland where it crosses the Sandy Run Creek.

PennDOT is posting new weight restrictions or reducing restrictions to extend the life of deteriorating bridges as a temporary solution, since it is uncertain if the state legislature will provide transportation funding to repair or replace these bridges.