The Lehigh Valley isn't much on history, neither Allentown or Lehigh County. The 1824 stone arch Reading Road Bridge is only still standing because of my efforts. It's sister bridge from 1828, Schreibers, may now be closed by the State. Since the 15th Street Bridge(Ward Street) was closed for replacement, Schreibers has taken an incredible beating. Although posted for 3 tons, it has been battered by tractor-trailers no less than half a dozen times. In a further assault to the bridge,
Allentown dropped the ball, and allowed the State to make Oxford drive/24th Street bridge one way for repairs, increasing the burden on the old stone bridge.
the city didn't allow the state to do anything. the state told the mayor of whitehall to remove planters from macaurthor road or it would do it for him and trash all the donated product. why, b/c penndot is ruthless. they run over municipalities all the time.
ReplyDeleteyes, the bridge has been neglected, but lets not act as if penndot gives two hoots about what any municipality thinks. they are unelected autocrats who take pleasure in the coldness of engineering manuals and textbooks.
@8:56, i read all the excuses given for the bad timing before, and frankly don't believe them. had the city paid attention to the state's projects schedule, and requested that the state defer the oxford bridge project until the 15th street was completed, they would have agreed. likewise, with penndot's office at 11th and hamilton streets, it's absurd that penndot wasn't proactive about the conflict. classic case of bureaucrats asleep at the wheel.
ReplyDeleteBlame it all on the State.
ReplyDeleteI'm not buying.