In 2012, then county executive Don Cunningham and his public works director went about demolishing and replacing several historic bridges. When they got ready to demolish the Reading Road Bridge, this blogger went on the offensive to defend the bridge.
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. Because the bridge was documented to be in excellent condition, I decided that Don would have to smile and cut his next ribbon somewhere else...I succeeded in convincing the commissioners to save the bridge.
A couple years later residents in South Whitehall would organize to save the historic King George Inn. I would then play a part in saving Wehr's Dam. None of these structures would exist today if advocates for history were afraid to do battle with elected officials. Often these battles even have to be refought against persistent bureaucrats, and other vested interests.
Yesterday on facebook a group member complained about me mixing politics with the history. I only wish that they were as separate and protected as they should be.
reprinted from October of 2019
photo/molovinsky/Reading Road Bridge, view from north side
photo/molovinsky/Reading Road Bridge, view from north side
Don the Cunning-Ham is a no show trough slopper of the highest order, he's got that greasy Gavin Newsome type polished facade underneath is a vicious wheeler dealer capable of selling his own mother down river to the highest bidder
ReplyDeleteanon@7:36: Although I was never a fan of Cunningham, and over the years criticized him for several projects, I'm only reluctantly publishing your comment... comments this harsh should be signed.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it is because I am somewhat ignorant of the relationship between the City of Allentown and Lehigh County is the reason for asking this. The Reading Road bridge is within the city boundaries of Allentown. I would believe that Mr Cunningham would not have jurisdiction over the bridge, but it would be under the Mayor of Allentown and the street department whether or not the historic bridge would be replaced.
ReplyDeleteJust on the face of it, I fail to understand why a stone bridge with limited traffic on it would need replacing in the first place. Roman stone bridges in Europe have stood for nearly 2,000 years. Our current concrete and steel bridges, presumably what would have replaced it wear out in a few decades and need renewing, as they aren't as durable. Walnut Street isn't Hamilton in terms of its use.
I suppose some of it, or a lot of it actually, is due to pressure politicians receive from the Wildlands Conservancy. An environmental group who never has seen anything humans have ever built that they liked. They are more concerned about the worms and the trout and deer than they are about humans. Especially something useful or scenic, or both.
Don is a "180er"... when he was campaigning for county executive, good friends of mine (now former democrats) had him in their living room with him telling us what he stood for and of his plans for the county... sounded great!!! (Like Frosted Flakes...) I personally asked many questions and received the "right" answers... he gets elected and immediately gets amnesia and flips 180 degrees... THEN he quits and takes another government job... sounds like he's fishing for multiple pensions to me... prove me wrong.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I was under the impression, courtesy of the rotten Morning Call, that he did a bang up job in Bethlehem... only to find out, years later, how he fouled things up... prove me wrong...
anon@8:39: I cannot tell you why the Reading Road Bridge is under the county domain, perhaps its age? The Hamilton Street bridge, just to its north, is state controlled. The Union Street Bridge, just to its south, is city owned. The replaced Linden Street Bridge over the Jordan was also a county project.
ReplyDeleteHamilton St is also US222 while the other roads are local roads... this could be the common denominator determining which entity controls what. I'm glad the Reading Rd bridge was saved as was the bridge into Robin Hood off of MLK... these bridges handled all kinds of weight forever, and now they need to go??? It seems they can;t spend our tax monies quickly enough!!!
ReplyDelete