The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced today the East Wall Street Bridge over the Schuylkill River in Leesport Borough, is now open to vehicle traffic.
Work began in October 2017 to replace the Bridge, and during construction East Wall Street was closed to vehicles between Water Street and Railroad Avenue. The posted detour utilized Route 61, Cross Keys Road and West Main Street.
Also, during construction, a temporary pedestrian bridge maintained pedestrian access across the Schuylkill River.
South Schuylkill Avenue between East Wall and Main streets will remain closed for another week, through April 24, to complete slope repairs that were damaged by recent heavy rains. Motorists may use Railroad Avenue/Lee Street and Main Street as an alternate route.
The East Wall Street Bridge was a concrete arch bridge originally constructed in 1915 and reconstructed in 1969. It was 213-feet long and 24-feet wide. The new bridge is a 214-feet long, 40-feet wide, pre-stressed concrete bulb T-beam bridge. This section of East Wall Street has an average daily traffic volume of 7,546 vehicles.
J.D. Eckman, Inc. of Atglen, Pa., is the general contractor on the $4,795,101 project.
