In a ceremony Tuesday, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the Schuylkill County Municipal Authority, the Schuylkill River Greenways, and local officials gathered to celebrate the repurposing of the Mt. Carbon Bowstring Truss Bridge.
The bridge, originally constructed in 1894, has been given a new life as a pedestrian bridge on the Schuylkill River Trail.
District Executive Chris Kufro expressed pride in preserving this piece of history for the community. “We are happy to repurpose this historic bridge to be used on the regional trail network. There are very few bowstring truss bridges left in the country, so we are proud to have this one here in Schuylkill County.”
The bridge was removed from over the Schuylkill River in August 2022 for extensive repairs. It was disassembled and transported to a blacksmith shop before being reassembled and placed over Mill Creek in St. Clair Borough next to the Coal Creek Commerce Center.
The project, costing just under $3 million, was undertaken by Fabcor, Inc. of Jessup, Pennsylvania.
The newly repurposed bridge now serves as a key feature on the Schuylkill River Greenways' trail for walkers and bikers.
Once the entire trail is complete, it will begin in Frackville and end in Philadelphia.