School bridge needs $35K in repairs

Water penetrated steel, causing rust and deterioration

UPPER POTTSGROVE » Having approved the payment of $1 million of a $2.3 million roof replacement at Pottsgrove Middle School Aug. 14, the school board then OK’d repairs of as much as $35,000 to the pedestrian bridge and sidewalk at the back entrance to the building.

Facilities Director Jeffrey Cardwell told the board that the bridge failed an inspection in January and at least two blocks of concrete need to be removed in order to replace the steel waffling underneath.

He said the investigation by a contractor found that three drains in the bridge had allowed water to penetrate and rust the bridge’s steel decking.

The concrete and decking need to be removed and replaced, and the drainage system re-designed to prevent the problem from occurring again, he said.

Engineers will also examine steel support girders for signs of rust.

Additionally, Cardwell said the concrete in front of the bridge is off-kilter, sending water onto the bridge instead of off onto the parking lot as it is supposed to.

Replacing that is included in the bridge repair estimate of $35,000 which the board approved unanimously.

The board approved also approved additional painting for the sidewalk railing, and exposed steel girders on the roof at an estimated cost of $18,600.

Cardwell told Digital First Media that repairs to the stairs and the retaining wall on the parking lot side of the bridge are part of the district’s capital projects list and will be tackled at a later date.

But despite the unexpected cost of the bridge repairs, taxpayers will still come out ahead, according to Business Manager David Nester.

Even should the bridge and painting projects end up costing $55,000 or more, the district just added $135,000 in revenues to the balance sheet from the sale of the district’s older computer stock which was recently replaced.

“It’s more than we’ve ever received before and more than we thought we could ever get,” said Nester, praising the district’s technology team for locating the vendor.

He also informed the board that the last bill paid the roofing contractor took advantage of a discount when paid within 10 days, which saved the district about $21,000 off the price.

Nester said he hopes to take advantage of that discount with the most recent bill as well, providing roughly $40,000 in savings off the cost of the project.

Nester said the roof project “is 85 percent to 90 percent done. We just need a few more sunny days.”

The remaining balance due when the roof is completed, with the additional $18,600 painting cost included, will be $1,331,512.

That amount is above and beyond the $1,052,737 roofing bill approved Aug. 14.

The roof project has been under discussion since 2017.

The middle school building was completed in August 1999 at a cost of about $28 million.

EVAN BRANDT — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA The Pottsgrove School Board voted Aug. 14 to spend up to $35,000 to refurbish this bridge into the back entrance of Pottsgrove Middle School.

EVAN BRANDT — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA All the rain this summer has delayed the completion of the $1.3 million roof repair at Pottsgrove Middle School, said Facilities Director Jeffrey Caldwell.

Facilities Director Jeffrey Cardwell told the board that an investigation into the condition of the pedestrian bridge showed water has penetrated the structure and caused deterioration of the steel decking beneath the concrete.

Repairs to the stars that lead under the bridge will be undertaken at a later date as part of the district’s capital projects program, said Facilities Director Jeffrey Cardwell.

Repairs to his retaining wall at the parking lot side of the pedestrian bridge at Pottsgrove Middle School will be undertaken at a later date as part of the district’s capital projects program, said Facilities Director Jeffrey Cardwell.