Route 30 bridge: Why is the lane closure still in place, and how long will it last?

Teresa Boeckel
York Daily Record

It's been more than a week that a lane has been closed on the Route 30 bridge over Memory Lane in Springettsbury Township.

A routine inspection uncovered damage to a beam, forcing the state Department of Transportation to close a westbound lane to get the weight off of it.

And, at this point, it's not clear when traffic will be fully restored on the span, PennDOT spokesman Dave Thompson said on Tuesday.

The westbound lanes of Route 30 are narrowed to one lane over the Memory Lane bridge on Springettsbury Township.

Inspection crews found cracking on three of the steel beams of the bridge, which was built in 1971. The bridge is rated in poor condition because of the findings during the inspection, the agency said in an email.

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It's not known what caused the damage, Thompson said. However, it was not struck because the damage is not over traffic. 

Plans to repair the bridge are underway, the agency said. A contractor has conducted a field view and is currently working on a repair plan with a design consultant. 

The plan is to install a temporary support system so the lane can be reopened to traffic.

"The permanent repair will follow soon after," PennDOT said in an email. 

PennDOT says the bridge is safe to use with the current lane closure.

Nearly 23,000 vehicles travel this stretch of Route 30 each day.