September 17, 2022
Jon Tuleya/PhillyVoice
This is one of the four bridges along the Wissahickon Valley Trail that reopened Friday. The bridges has been closed since March 2021 for a $1.2 million renovation project.
Four bridges on Wissahickon Valley Trail that underwent a $1.2 million overhaul reopened Friday, allowing pedestrians and bicyclists to utilize the full trail for the first time in 18 months.
The bridges connect the Lincoln Drive and Forbidden Drive sections of the trail. The route is popular among commuters and recreational cyclists because it connects to the Schuylkill River Trail, providing access to Center City. A detour that included steep slopes and soft surfaces had been in place since the bridges closed in March 2021.
Three of the bridges run in succession near Forbidden Drive. The other bridge is located near the Henry Avenue overpass, and is the only one to cross Wissahickon Creek.
They each received new steel trusses and an aluminum deck surface designed to improve traction and reduce the risk of accidents. The bridges' decks previously had been constructed of wood. But they had become worn down, partly due to increased usage during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns.
"We've completely reinforced and restored these four trail bridges for the first time really in close to four decades," Deputy Commissioner Patrick Morgan, of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, said at an event to mark the reopening of the bridges on Friday.
The Wissahickon valley trail bridges have finally reopened for pedestrians and bicyclists, connecting NW Philly to Center City. @PhilaParkandRec more @KYWNewsradio pic.twitter.com/yasLOi8GsC
— Hadas Kuznits (@hadaskuznits) September 16, 2022
The bridges only were supposed to be closed for 9-12 months. But supply chain issues and setbacks from Hurricane Ida delayed their reopening.
Thousands of people use the Wissahickon Valley Trail each year, including many who use it to commute from Northwest Philly to Center City, according to Sarah Clark Stuart, executive director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia.
