Route 232/Bridge going towards Wrightstown in Northampton was damaged in storms from the remnants of Hurricane Ida. (Photo courtesy of Northampton Police Department)

One of the aftereffects of the rampage of what was left of Hurricane Ida through eastern Pennsylvania last September was the heavy damage it inflicted on area bridges and roadways.

Among the smaller structures that took a hit from the storm was the Worthington Mill Road bridge over the Neshaminy Creek in Bucks County, north of Philadelphia.

Flood waters from the remnants of Hurricane Ida caused heavy deterioration to the approaches to the bridge. The one-lane span's destruction caused a closure of Worthington Mill Road between Twining Road and Swamp Road. The roadway is a key link between the townships of Northampton and Wrightstown and carries approximately 2,600 vehicles daily, according to Patch, a local online news source.

Beginning Aug. 29, though, construction crews began replacement efforts at the site of the damaged bridge. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) named H&K Group Inc., from Skipjack, Pa., as the project's general contractor and awarded the company the $4.5 million contract, which is financed with 100 percent state funds.

PennDOT estimates the project to last until the summer of 2024, during which the bridge closure will remain in effect.

Under the contract, H&K Group will remove and replace the 68-year-old, single-lane structure with a wider three-span composite prestressed concrete bridge measuring 84 ft. long and 32 ft. wide. The design will allow for two lanes of traffic to across the bridge at one time.

Patch reported that last year's hurricane may have speeded up the replacement of the Worthington Mill Road bridge. Prior to Ida's approach, the bridge was rated to be in poor condition due to its deteriorating concrete deck and steel superstructure. Dodging potholes and traffic had become commonplace in recent years for local motorists.

All scheduled activities in rebuilding the bridge are weather dependent, according to PennDOT.

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