UPDATE: St. David's Road Bridge May Reopen Early December

NEWTOWN SQUARE–St. David's Road bridge is scheduled to reopen early December, according to Brad Rudolph, a safety press officer for the Pennyslvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). An exact date has not yet been determined.

Marple Newtown Patch the reopening of St. David's Road bridge had been delayed due to Hurricane Sandy and necessary additions that were needed for bridge repairs.

Though the bridge did not sustain any damages from the storm, Rudolph said $100,000 worth of additions were necessary in repairing the bridge. 

"The additions occurred because PennDOT engineers determined it was necessary to tear down and reconstruct the downstream side of the bridge. That side was deemed structurally deficient and beyond repair," said Rudolph over email. "There was also a small wall that had to be built on the other side of the bridge. Neither addition was in the original plan, but was deemed a necessary add."

According to Rudolph, the costs for the additions will be paid by PennDOT.

In a previous press release sent by PennDOT, the rehabilitation project of the 202-year-old bridge consisted of the following: restoring the structurally deficient bridge by rebuilding its deteriorated bridge walls; reinforcing the deck; reinforcing the foundation underneath the support abutments; performing masonry repairs and installing new guide rail.

According to PennDOT, "When construction is completed, the 202-year-old stone arch bridge will once again carry northbound and southbound traffic and no longer be classified as structurally deficient."

Currently, drivers have been utilizing the posted detour which included the use of Darby Paoli Road, Goshen Road and Rt. 252/Newtown Street.

According to PennDOT, the St. David’s Road bridge was originally built in 1810.  It is 26 feet long and 24 feet wide. The bridge carries an average of 6,500 vehicles a day.

The project has been estimated to cost $454,000, which is part of PennDOT's $1.3 million project to rehabilitate three structurally deficient bridges. The other two bridges under the project include the Knowlton Road bridge over Chester Creek in Middletown Township and the Route 13 (Chester Pike) bridge over Muckinapattus Creek in Glenolden Borough.