MERCERSBURG—The Heisey Road Bridge in Montgomery Township reopened recently after a $4 million replacement project.
The work on the bridge, which spans the West Branch of the Conococheague Creek approximately 3.5 miles southeast of Mercersburg, began in August 2020.
The new structure replaces the previous one-lane, steel plate girder structure with a two-lane prestressed concrete box beam bridge measuring 129 feet long and just over 27 feet wide.
The new bridge eliminates the weight restrictions imposed on the former structure, originally built in 1904 and reconstructed in 1963.
In addition to addressing structural deficiencies and expanding the width of the bridge to accommodate two lanes of traffic, the project improved safety with modified road alignments and added guardrails along the approach road. Minor modifications were also made to the stream during construction.
“We are pleased to celebrate the completion of the Heisey Road Bridge project,” said Franklin County Commissioner Chairman Dave Keller. “This upgraded structure has improved access for the local agricultural and business communities, emergency services, school buses and other large vehicles and apparatus, which ultimately enhances the overall safety and travel for everyone who uses Heisey Road.”
The Heisey Road Bridge project received 80% funding from the Federal Highway Administration and 15% from the state. Franklin County funded the remainder of the $4 million project through the Municipal Liquid Fuels Program.
Susquehanna Valley Construction Corp. of New Cumberland served as the contractor for this project while C.S. Davidson Inc., York, oversaw the engineering and inspection phase.
“We’re also grateful to the local residents, who were inconvenienced during the construction of this bridge, for their patience and cooperation,” Keller added. “Projects like this do not happen overnight, but I think we can all agree that the Heisey Road Bridge was worth the wait.”
