Sellersville bridges in need of repair, money

Sellersville bridges are failing, according to PennDOT Executive Deputy Secretary Brad Mallory.

The bridges are inspected annually, semi-annually or even monthly, Mallory said. While they are in no immediate danger of falling, they will be one day if proper steps to repair and rebuild the bridges are not taken.

Of the three bridges identified as needing the most work in Sellersville, two are on Main Street — one that goes over the east branch of the Perkiomen Creek and the bridge over SEPTA tracks. The third bridge is the Walnut Street bridge that spans over the northeast branch of the Perkiomen Creek.

Pennsylvania has more than 25,000 bridges, and deteriorating bridges are a statewide systemic problem. In Sellersville, as in many other parts of the state, there are insufficient funds to make the needed repairs. Instead, there have been “bandaid” repairs to bridges to keep them safe.

However, Mallory said, ultimately the deteriorating bridges will need to be repaired thoroughly or rebuilt entirely.

“The minor repairs are temporary, to keep the bridges working and safe for now,” he said. “Ultimately, though, it’s a waste of money because it doesn’t solve the problem. It’s done all of the time, and these band-aid repairs have dramatically extended the lifespan of the bridges.”

The average lifespan of a Pennsylvania bridge is 51 years. One of the Sellersville bridges is 73 years old, another is 86 years old. And although the bridges are in need of major renovations, there is no money available to complete the jobs.

In an effort to make money available for bridge maintenance across Pennsylvania — along with road maintenance and mass transit improvements — the Pennsylvania Legislature has been working on a Transportation Funding Bill.

The bill, which is currently before Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives, would set aside around $2.2 billion annually for bridge, road and mass transit maintenance across the state. If passed, that money would be able to go toward repairing the Sellersville bridges, according to state Rep. Paul Clymer, R-145.

All three Sellersville bridges in question have been deemed structurally deficient, according to PennDOT information. The North Main Street bridge over the Perkiomen Creek was reduced from a 15-ton weight limit to a 13-ton limit Sep. 16.