Covered Bridge is Bad Move

 

East Rockhill, Pa., December 27, 2006 - To the [News-Herald] editor:

Last week's edition had a letter to the editor outlining reasons that East Rockhill should reconsider taking over the long term care of the "replacement" Mood's bridge and the shortsighted plan to make the Blooming Glen a one way road. I totally agree with the letter, but here are a few more details to even further support the need to reconsider this move.

This movement to rebuild the bridge as a covered bridge was for the most part put forth by a former resident (who has since moved back to New Jersey) who wanted the scenic view from her back door, with help from a "covered bridge expert" from New York and letters of support from Alaska. The supervisors made some type of "deal" with Bucks County government for the county to take over the ownership of the bridge, and East Rockhill was only going to be responsible for the routine maintenance and insurance cost … No one from the township has told us the concrete local costs for this "deal". They have floated numbers, but it was all done with political spin to make it seem small...

This bridge was historic and had many original parts, but they are all gone, and the replacement sounds like it will be far from a historical recreation of the original. Historically this bridge for one reason or another (trash trucks, front end loaders, rebuilding etc.) tends to be closed for long time periods at regular intervals. Making the road a one-way road is going to inconvenience many people for a long time to come … We have just finished building a huge high school complex at one end of Branch Road. Is a one way road really a good move for traffic congestion from this complex?

Take the emotion out of this issue and look only at the facts, anyone of reasonable mind will surely conclude that a modern two-lane bridge is the only way to go, that is unless you live in New Jersey, New York, Alaska, or are a East Rockhill Supervisor.

Do the right thing, rethink what you are doing. Rebuild, but rebuild a new modern structure that can handle traffic today and in the future. If you want a covered bridge in the area build it over the downstream walking bridge.

East Rockhill resident