Contract Awarded for Rapps Dam Bridge Repair

It may do little to alleviate the pain of the traffic nightmare surrounding the Pickering Bridge project on Route 23, but the Rapps Dam Covered Bridge will be open again in the near future.

According to officials from East Pikeland Township, PennDOT has awarded a contract for the repair of the bridge, which has been closed since April 29, 2014.

The contractor has been authorized to begin purchasing materials and the construction work will begin on May 26, the township says. The contractor has been given six weeks to complete the project. Check back here for periodic updates.

The historic bridge spanning French Creek was badly damaged last year when a tractor trailer plowed into the structure, tearing out most of the support beams.

Reports said at the time that the driver had been on the job only four days.

The bridge, which spans French Creek, underwent a $1.5 million renovation in 2011 which restored the 106-foot long covered bridge by removing and replacing its deteriorated cedar shake roof, redwood siding and timber decking. Crews also replaced four steel beams supporting the bridge deck, and repaired the structure’s stone abutments and wing walls.

The bridge was originally built in 1866 and reconstructed in 1978.