The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announces a Plans Display for replacement of the Route 419 (North 3rd Street) bridge over Tulpehocken Creek north of the Borough of Womelsdorf in Marion and Heidelberg townships, Berks County.

This online plans display includes digital picture boards and an online comment form available to the public until December 14, 2023. 

The proposed project will replace the existing four span 200-foot long reinforced concrete T-beam bridge over Tulpehocken Creek. The existing bridge was constructed in 1926 and is functionally and structurally deficient and has visible deterioration which exists throughout the entire structure. 

Proposed improvements include the removal of the existing bridge and the construction of a three span continuous prestressed concrete spread box beam bridge. The new bridge will feature two 11- foot lanes and 8-foot shoulders on either side, yielding a 38-foot bridge width. 

The project will be constructed in phases allowing both directions of traffic to be maintained throughout the project. There will be short-term, off-peak lane restrictions in order to construct the approach roadway tie-ins. Driveways will remain accessible throughout the duration of the project. 

Other proposed work includes the installation of guide rail, drainage improvements, and utility relocations. The acquisition of right-of-way and temporary construction easements will be required on all four quadrants of the bridge to complete the work. 

The project is anticipated to begin construction in Fall 2025 and be completed by the end of the 2026 construction season. All schedules are subject to change. 

Four perennial waterways were identified within the project limits: Tulpehocken Creek and three unnamed tributaries (UNTs) to Tulpehocken Creek. Tulpehocken Creek is designated as a Wild & Scenic River by the State of Pennsylvania, so coordination with the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) will be required to identify any concerns as the design progresses. An Aids to Navigation (ATON) Plan has been prepared and will be included in the project documents. The other three streams will have minor impacts from bridge construction and roadway approaches. Four wetlands were also identified within the project study area, with three wetlands likely to be impacted by the project. Due to the minor nature of the impacts, no stream or wetland mitigation measures are anticipated, but this will be discussed and coordinated with PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in more detail as the design progresses.

Cultural resource studies of the project area identified three eligible historic resources. The northeast quadrant of the project area contains the prism associated with the 19th-century National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)-eligible Union Canal. The 19th-century NRHP-eligible Braun Mill is located southwest of the project area. Both resources, in addition to the PA 419 bridge, contribute to the NRHP-listed Tulpehocken Creek Historic District. On behalf of Federal Highway Administration, PennDOT considered effects of the project on the characteristics that makes these three resources historically significant. Through coordination with the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the Section 106 Consulting Parties, PennDOT determined the proposed project will have No Effect to the Union Canal and No Adverse Effect to the Braun Mill. Replacement of the contributing bridge will have an Adverse Effect to the Tulpehocken Creek Historic District but work in the adjacent properties will have No Adverse Effect to the historic district. A Letter of Agreement was developed to help minimize and mitigate for effects to the historic resources.

The purpose of the plans display is to introduce the project and receive public input regarding any questions or concerns with the project. It is also an opportunity for the public to review and comment on the project's potential effect upon cultural resources pursuant to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's 36 CFR Part 800 regulations implementing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

The project documents can be made available in alternative languages or formats if requested. If you need translation/interpretation services or have special needs or have special concerns that require individual attention, please contact Donald Lerch, P.E., Consultant Project Manager, at 484-357-1026 or email at c-dlerch@pa.gov. 

Pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, PennDOT does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. If you feel that you have been denied the benefits of, or participation in a PennDOT program or activity, you may contact the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Equal Opportunity, DBE/Title VI Division at 717-787-5891 or 800-468-4201.

For more information on projects occurring or being bid this year, those made possible by or accelerated by the state transportation funding plan (Act 89), or those on the department's Four and Twelve Year Plans, visit www.projects.penndot.gov.