Jun 19, 2010

Bridging Our History


Part of Don Cunningham's political patter as a candidate and elected official is repairing or replacing bridges in the county. When you replace a bridge which doesn't need replacing, you're wasting taxpayer money. When you replace a historic bridge which doesn't need replacing, you're stealing our culture






The Reading Road Bridge, scheduled by Cunningham for replacement, is in excellent condition. Although my observation and top photograph clearly shows that, I did confirm it's structural integrity with someone formally with the City engineering department.

The bridge was built in 1824 and totally rehabilitated in 1980. At that time a separate walking bridge was built next to it for pedestrian safety.*





Although the beautiful two arch stone bridge needs no work, and Cunningham has been in office since 2006, the steel beams of the walking bridge are in dire need of paint. How sad that inexpensive maintenance is ignored, while $million dollar projects are planned.

Let Don smile and cut a ribbon somewhere else, please join me in saving our history. Call Cunningham and our County Commissioners. Let them know our past means more to us then their political future.

* a former manager under Mayor Daddona, recalls walking bridge constructed in 1980.

click on bridge photographs to enlarge image

ADDENDUM: An engineer familiar with the bridge told me that he if was asked by supervisors to justify replacing the bridge, he will cite flooding; He added that in reality it's a moot point, because the stream flow in high water situations is also impeded by the nearby Hamilton and Union street bridges.

4 comments:

  1. Why in the hell do we need to replace this bridge? Dean Browing ask to see the engineering study that says the bridge needs replacement. Let's remember that stimulus money "ain't" free money. Dean let's get on the stick with this one.
    Steveareno

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  2. What can we do to stop this? Can we contact National Trust? We feel so helpless.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Seems like a waste of taxpayer money.

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  4. Michael, please post a picture of what the new bridge will look like. You will be doing a great service to the people of Allentown and Lehigh County.

    The Pretty Police

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