The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced Tilghman Street will be closed and detoured beginning Thursday (April 5) for work on two structurally deficient bridges.

The project began March 12 and consists of replacing the superstructure (deck and beams) on the Tilghman Street Bridge over Norfolk Southern Railroad and the complete replacement of the Tilghman Street Bridge over Chapmans Road.

Starting Thursday, Tilghman Street will be closed to through traffic between the intersections of Blue Barn and Farm Bureau roads. Tilghman Street west traffic will be routed on the posted detour route of US 22 west, Interstate 78 west and PA 100 north. Tilghman Street east traffic will be routed on the posted detour of PA 100 south, I-78 east, US 22 east, PA 309 north and US 22 west. A map of this detour route can be viewed at the Upper Macungie Township website, www.minutepal.com/uppermac/files/1328272481.pdf.

During the Tilghman Street detour the traffic signals at the Tilghman Street intersections with Mill Road/Windsor Drive, Snowdrift Road, Ruppsville Road and Blue Barn Road will be temporarily re-timed to minimize congestion. These signals will also be permanently equipped with emergency responder pre-emption systems. The intersection of Tilghman Street and Farm Bureau Road will be temporarily reconfigured as a three-way stop controlled intersection (stop signs) to allow access to-and-from Tilghman Street on the western side of the bridges. The intersection will be restored to the pre-construction configuration at the completion of the project.

Also starting Thursday, Chapmans Road will be closed with traffic being detoured on Hickory Lane, Farm Bureau Road and Memorial Road. A map of this detour route can be viewed at the Upper Macungie Township website, www.minutepal.com/uppermac/files/1328272454.pdf.

The Tilghman Street Bridge over Norfolk Southern Railroad is an 86 feet long, 53 feet wide steel girder bridge that was constructed in 1940. The new superstructure will be constructed with steel girders and be 86 feet long and 57 feet wide.

The Tilghman Street Bridge over Chapmans Road is a 27 feet long, 53 feet wide concrete T-beam bridge that was constructed in 1940. The new bridge will be a 110 feet long, 57 feet wide concrete bulb T-beam bridge.

This section of Tilghman Street has an average daily traffic volume of 13,145 vehicles. The project is expected to be complete in August. All schedules are weather dependent.

The general contractor on the $4,917,299 project is J.D. Eckman, Inc. of Atglen, Pa.

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