The state will replace the 82-year-old bridge over Bridge Street next year.
Eric Schwarz
However, issues remain over how to accommodate access to Lost Valley.
Both the borough and state agree that the bridge needs to be replaced – its cement foundation is crumbling.
The bridge is the only two-way road connecting Lost Valley to the rest of Manville.
The Borough Council on Monday endorsed the bridge replacement, which had been the subject of a public information session last summer. Council members asked for another public meeting on the project as soon as possible.
Gary A. Toth, a state Department of Transportation manager, wrote to the borough in March that the project would begin sometime after June 2001 and take up to 18 months. Another public hearing could be held in December, he said.
The project is estimated to cost $4 million, including some federal funding.
During the project, a temporary bridge would be built.
The council’s resolution calls for flood safety issues to be "thoroughly investigated and mitigated." The resolution also calls for transportation to schools to be as sured or a foot bridge to be considered.
The council also recommended the state extend Boesel and Huff avenues for a detour route to the temporary bridge, which will increase the traffic along those streets. The traffic would detour to and from South Main Street.
As part of the project, the state would pave Boesel and Huff avenues from the Bridge Street Bridge to the temporary bridge, said Borough Administration Gary Garwacke.
The state also would pave Woodward Avenue between Boesel and Huff and construct a road over the brook to South Main Street, Mr. Garwacke said.
The state also gave the option of extending Lincoln Avenue, along with Boesel, which the borough rejected, partly because the Lincoln Avenue park and a recreation field are nearby.
There are more houses along Boesel Avenue than Lincoln Avenue. Boesel Avenue residents have expressed concerns about the detour’s potential both to increase traffic on their street and make it harder to park there, DOT project engineer Tom Carbone said last summer.
However, since Lincoln Avenue is in a flood plain, it would be more difficult for the DOT to acquire environmental permits to extend it than to extend Boesel Avenue, said Mr. Carbone.