MILESBURG, Pa. – No matter where one travels, bridges dot the landscape of Pennsylvania. The bridges located in Centre County play an important role in allowing people to travel from point A to point B quickly and efficiently, while also creating a sense of community.
However, many of these Pennsylvania bridges are reaching the end of their lifespans. The average lifespan of a bridge is about 50 years, and an increasing number of Pennsylvania bridges need attended to.
The state currently identifies that about 11,946 bridges need rehabilitated or are on the verge of retirement at an estimated cost of $20.7 billion dollars.
Veterans Bridge Milesburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania
Veterans Bridge, located on Route 144 over Bald Eagle Creek in Bellefonte, allows citizens to go in and out of the city everyday. This bridge was built in the 1930’s, but was rehabilitated in 1982.
Peter Kempf, a senior civil engineer manager at PennDOT, shares that they are currently experiencing a major issue with funding and that deciding what they use their money to repair is more important than ever before.
“On the statewide level, we have about a $8 billion dollar per year short fall on the budget, so we have to prioritize. A bridge would be a very high priority. Something that could collapse and cause the loss of life is going to be prioritized above, let’s say a pothole in the road,” Kempf says.
The strength and efficiency of bridges is vital for the safety of Centre County residents and others who cross the bridges constantly.
In addition to providing an efficient means of transportation to connect people physically, these bridges also have the power to connect different communities with one another emotionally.
The Veterans Bridge, originally known as the Bald Creek Bridge, earned its new name to honor all Centre County residents that served in the armed forces.
Marla Fannin, the Community Relations Coordinator/Public Information Officer at PennDOT, shares how the loss of a fellow PennDOT worker affected both herself and the community greatly. However, this gave Fannin an idea to remember these community members, such as the Veterans Bridge, in a memorable way.
“We actually have, we are trying to move on some legislation, in which will name bridges across the state for fallen PennDOT workers,” says Fannin.
The mission of bridges goes beyond the idea of being just a piece of architecture. Bridges are essential in facilitating safe travels for society, while also creating a sense of community.