ASTON, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — Delaware County officials cut the ribbon on the refurbished New Road Bridge in Aston Township on Tuesday — the third bridge reopening in the county since July.
For the last year and a half, PennDOT crews have been hard at work rebuilding the nearly century-old bridge.
“The original bridge, built in 1931, had long exceeded its lifespan like so many bridges in Pennsylvania. We stand here on a new 125-foot single-span steel girder bridge that will serve the community for years to come,” said Delaware County Councilmember Christine Reuther, who was on hand for Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Delaware County has invested more than $11 million in bridges this year, and it is planning on beginning construction on two more bridges in 2025.
“As we near the end of the year, just four of the county’s 43 bridges will remain structurally deficient, which is a far cry from where it was,” Reuther added.
The reopening of the New Road Bridge was a welcome addition to drivers in Aston.
“I come down here all the time. When it was closed, we had to go around,” said resident Larry Curry.
He said for many communities, the bridge is a key piece of infrastructure that spans Chester Creek.
“I’m ecstatic,” he added. “The day I heard it was opened, I rode down here and rode across it three or four times just to ride across it.”
In July, Delaware County officials unveiled two other rehabbed bridges: the Tribbett Avenue Bridge across Hermesprota Creek in Darby Township, and the Manchester Avenue Bridge, a throughway that links Middletown, Nether Providence and Upper Providence townships over Ridley Creek.