A mason works Wednesday atop scaffolding on the north facade of the High Street bridge crossing Sanatoga Creek. The bridge should reopen Aug. 30.

Be warned! Police are still ticketing trespassers who try to sneak around the closed bridge.

SANATOGA PA – The currently closed East High Street bridge crossing Sanatoga Creek will be open for vehicular traffic by Aug. 30 (2010; Monday), Pennsylvania Department of Transportation officials have promised.

But there’s “open,” and then there’s “really open,” and then there’s “completed.” Those three definitions probably will be fulfilled on different dates during the next four months, the Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township Board of Commissioners explained Thursday (Aug. 19).

Most important, commissioners said, is that at least one lane will be available in just 11 days for drivers to cross the reconstructed two-lane bridge. That eliminates any need to re-route Pottsgrove School District buses over detours, resolving one of the board’s continuing and primary concerns.

Because only one lane will be open to start, however, the flow of east- and westbound bridge traffic will be controlled by a flagman, commissioners said. So while vehicles can cross in both directions, a back-up and delay may occur at times – particularly in the morning – on East High between Sanatoga Road and Allison Drive, where the bridge is located.

Atop the bridge deck looking east, crews are finishing repairs to and replacement of parts of the roadbed and retaining walls on both sides.

“Really open,” the point at which commissioners indicate both east- and westbound lanes will be unblocked and the flagman gone, may be a few weeks away. “Completed,” when the work is finally finished and the contractors’ crews are gone, probably won’t happen until December, township Manager Rodney Hawthorne noted.

Retaining walls are being finished in a stone face that matches the bridge, with a wide cap.

Commissioners offered the bridge update during the second of their two monthly meetings at the municipal building, 2199 Buchert Rd., Pottstown PA. Collectively, they said they were surprised and pleased by the amount of work the contractor seemed to have finished over a two-week period which followed publicly stated board misgivings that the bridge would open on time.

“They’ve gotten a lot done since,” board Vice President Bruce Foltz admitted.

Lower Pottsgrove Police continue to receive complaints from residents of Sanatoga Ridge Community about drivers who use its private roads to shorten their commute around the bridge, rather than use sanctioned detours. Police say they are actively watching for, and ticketing, trespassers.

Related (to the East High Street bridge):

• Sanatoga Bridge Open In 11 Days, PennDOT Promises
• Bridge Repair Schedule Likely On Tonight’s Agenda
• Commissioners Ask For Bridge Progress Report
• Sanatoga Bridge Torn Up; Choose Alternate Route
• Bridge Closing Affects School Buses This Week
• Plans Ready For 422 Emergency When Bridge Closes
• Bridge Work Started, But You Might Miss It
• PennDOT To Fine Contractor For Bridge Work Delays
• Traffic Pattern Shifts Ahead At High Street Bridge
• State Says High St. Bridge Repairs To Cost $2.2M
• PennDOT Offer Sanatoga Bridge Work Timeline
• Details Are In That Pesky Paperwork
• PennDOT Set For Meeting On Bridge Work
• Missing Walks Latest Bridge Complaint
• Will Road Be Closed When School Re-Opens?
• State Says No To Keeping Bridge Open
• Township Looks To Pols For Bridge Help
• Bridge Closing Threatens Businesses, Board Says
• Sanatoga Bridge Closing This Spring
• Bridge Repairs Next Year

Related (to the Lower Pottsgrove Board of Commissioners’ Aug. 19 meeting):

• Sanatoga Bridge Open In 11 Days, PennDOT Promises
• Commissioners Support Pottstown’s Grant Request
• Bridge Repair Schedule Likely On Tonight’s Agenda

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