Bucks Co. Covered Bridges To Get $2.5M Overhaul

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — All seven of the county-owned covered bridges in Bucks County will undergo repairs and maintenance work, thanks to a $2.5 million expenditure approved by the commissioners in September.

The money comes entirely from the proceeds of a $5 fee that Bucks County imposes on new and renewed vehicle registrations. The repair project will begin this month, and is expected to continue for about 15 months, according to information from the county.

Work at the bridges will take two to three months each, during which they will be closed. Traffic will be detoured.

The seven bridges that will undergo repairs and maintenance include:

• Frankenfield Covered Bridge on Cafferty Road, Tinicum Township
• Mood’s Covered Bridge on Blooming Glen Road, East Rockhill Township
• Van Sant Covered Bridge on Covered Bridge Road, Solebury Township
• Pine Valley Covered Bridge on Keeley Avenue, New Britain Borough
• Knechts Covered Bridge on Knecht Bridge Road, Springfield Township
• Cabin Run Covered Bridge on Covered Bridge Road, Plumstead Township
• Uhlerstown Covered Bridge on Uhlerstown Road, Tinicum Township

“It’s a project that will basically take all seven of these bridges and bring them up to very good, pristine shape, and will keep them all in that shape for many years to come,” said Kevin S. Spencer, the county’s director of operations.

The expenditure was approved by the commissioners on Sept. 4. In an unanimous vote, contracts totaling $2,537,951 with Loftus Construction Inc. and Professional Construction Contractors Inc. were approved.

According to Spencer, many of the bridges now have structural steel beneath them to hold them in place. "That steel needs to be stripped of old paint and re-painted, along with fireproofing the interior and exterior wood surfaces, replacing some cedar facing and siding boards, and other maintenance," information from the county said.

Additionally, three of the bridges will have cedar shingle roofs replaced, with the new roofs treated with fire retardant.

During the Sept. 4 meeting, Commissioners’ Vice Chairman Charles H. Martin asked whether the county should consider placing surveillance cameras on the bridges after several incidents that have damaged them. One bridge that has been struck repeatedly is equipped with cameras and that others are being evaluated, according to Spencer.

At one time, more than 50 covered bridges were in use in Bucks County, but neglect, damage and replacement have claimed all but 12 of them, 10 of which can still carry vehicles, according to to the county.