Two Salisbury Township Bridges Listed as Deficient in National Bridge Report

At least two bridges in Salisbury Township were rated "structurally deficient" in a recently released report on the state of nation's bridges.

Pennsylvania topped the list with the worst bridges, with more than 25 percent needing significant maintenance, repair or replacement, according to the report by Transportation for America.

The report  identified Salisbury Church Bridge on Devonshire Road, a masonry arch deck bridge built in 1870, also called Rathburn Bridge, with a rating of 49.8 out of a 100. The bridge crosses the Little Lehigh Creek and is owned by Lehigh County.

A state-owned concrete bridge on Fish Hatchery Road that crosses the Little Lehigh Creek was given 63.1 rating. The bridge was built in 1958.

Sean Brown, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, said the bridges are safe. 

"Just because a bridge is rated deficient doesn't mean it is unsafe. We would not have a bridge open if we felt it was unsafe," Brown said.

State-owned bridges are inspected a minimum of once every two years, he said.

You can search bridges by zip code on Transportation for America's Web site

http://t4america.org/resources/bridges/#?latlng=40.740375,-75.30962369999997&bridge_id=483020005011170)