Storm Aftermath: Spring Mount Bridge Under Repair

LOWER FREDERICK PA – The Spring Mount Road bridge over Swamp Creek, at its intersection with Gravel Pike in Delphi, Lower Frederick Township, was closed Thursday (Sept. 2, 2021) to all traffic as work crews attempted to repair damage caused by severe flooding wrought by rains from Tropical Storm Ida.

Nearby property owners said flood waters Wednesday (Sept. 1) overwhelmed the bridge and surged across Gravel Pike up to its western shoulder. Many reported their basements were flooded with several inches of water.

One resident claimed that, at the height of the storm, she saw propane tanks from a nearby retailer floating in the water. She later received assurances they were equipped with safety devices and posed no threat, but admitted their buoyant movement was disconcerting.

By Thursday cellar doors were open at nearby homes, and the sound of generators and sump pumps could be heard in the distance. Lawns were littered with items brought out into the sunshine to dry. Kitchen appliances and utensils similarly sat in the parking lot of the nearby Moccia’s Train Stop restaurant.

At entrances to the bridge on either side of Spring Mount, “road closed”-signed barriers and orange cones were erected. Occasionally, disgruntled workers were seen waving off drivers who tried to turn east onto Spring Mount, insisting they needed to cross the span.

Because the area remained without electrical power at mid-day Thursday, the intersection traffic light wasn’t working. Most traffic moved cautiously past the scene, with drivers seemingly more curious than concerned.

On the bridge deck, earth-moving equipment scooped up slabs of broken asphalt and small chunks of concrete, and deposited them into a progression of dump trucks to haul the debris away. The bridge’s south-side guard rail was in some places twisted, misshapen and disconnected. Work there was anticipated to continue Friday (Sept. 3).

Photos by The Post