Work slated to start on bridge in New Castle

By Virginia Ross

The old bridge dates back to the early 1900s.

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — City residents can bid farewell to the old Grant Street Bridge as workers begin dismantling the structure within the next several days.

The city is paying Clearwater Construction Inc. of Mercer $2,635,960 to replace the bridge, starting with the dismantling effort.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the long-awaited project is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday on the west side of the old bridge.

The new, 240-foot-long structure will consist of two lanes with a sidewalk on the north side.

The old bridge, which spans the Shenango River, dates to the early 1900s.

City officials closed the deteriorated structure in 2003, first to automobile traffic and then to pedestrians.

Officials said they are hopeful the new bridge will be completed next summer.

Local residents have converged on city hall numerous times over the past several years, asking about the progress of the project and expressing their concerns about delays affecting the construction of the new bridge.

Most of the project costs are to be covered by state and federal funds.

The project was delayed and the design phase was halted in 2005 because of a lack of funds.

Work resumed in 2006 once the state committed its share of the money.

The city’s share, which is to come from a 2005 capital projects bond issue, is 5 percent of the contract amount, or $131,798, plus between $50,000 and $55,000 for engineering.