MOUNT CARBON, Pa. — An 1894 bow-string arch bridge in Mount Carbon is now at the center of a PennDOT project. The bridge spans the Schuylkill River right across the street from Goodfella's Cafe.
It was first used for automobiles, then pedestrians. Now, the area is blocked off and overgrown. The bridge deck is mostly gone. But PennDOT officials saw it as a great candidate for a project aimed at restoring old bridges and connecting them to trails.
"The Mount Carbon bow-string arch is perfect. It's local, and it's in decent condition. The owner of the bridge was very willing to be a partner," said Kris Lammi Thompson, a PennDOT cultural resources specialist.
Schuylkill County Municipal Authority owns the bridge, and its executive director knew the Schuylkill river greenway has been looking to expand trails in the area.
"We knew that we had a section of the proposed trail that had to cross the Mill Creek," said Patrick Caufield, executive director of the Schuylkill County Municipal Authority.
And the Mount Carbon bridge was the perfect size. The bridge will be moved a few short miles down Route 61 and be rebuilt. It will span Mill Creek and give walkers and bikers easy access to shopping at Coal Creek Commerce Center.
But first, the bridge has to be restored. Project engineers say large cranes will lift it off its base and set it down in a nearby parking lot.
"The contractor is going to be able to disassemble it and bring it to a fabrication shop where it's going to be repaired and restored," Brian Teles explained.
Crews will build a new base on either side of Mill Creek, and the bridge will be shipped and assembled before it's connected to the trail. The site will also highlight the region's history.
"It's going to be a nice, picturesque thing, even if you're just driving by. For any bridge geeks in the area, they can go into that center and stop and look at the information that they're going to have for the bridge," said PennDOT official Ronald Young.
Officials say the project will help promote tourism and recreation in the county while giving new life to a relic from the past.
"We're preserving a bridge that has historical significance," added PennDOT official Jennie Granger.
"The success of these trails just promotes quality of life," Caufield added.
Construction is set to begin this winter or spring of 2022.