by KATIE WORRALL

Barbara Knight-Meyer, a resident of Lafayette Hill, enjoys shopping in Chestnut Hill. But for the past few years, she did not shop here often when she calculated how long it would take to get here because of the detour around the Germantown Avenue bridge.

Now Knight-Meyer can shop here. And her husband, Tom Meyer, is looking forward to reaching his office on Highland Avenue in five minutes.

The couple were just two of the many men, women, boys, girls and dogs who attended Sunday’s ribbon cutting ceremony opening the new bridge that crosses the Wissahickon Creek.

In a program emceed by Chestnut Hill College president Carol Jean Vale, SSJ, the history of the bridge project was shared by Mayor Street, Philadelphia Streets Commissioner Clarena Tolson and John Lutz, chief bridge engineer for the city. Citations were presented from the Pennsylvania Senate by State Sen. Allyson Schwartz, and from City Council by District Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller and City Councilman-at-large Frank Rizzo. Speakers at the ceremony recognized work done by federal, state and city government, contractors and the “interested parties” made up of near neighbors, Chestnut Hill Community Association, Chestnut Hill Business Association, Morris Arboretum, Chestnut Hill College, Chestnut Hill Historical Society and the Sisters of St. Joseph.

Quoting from the Easter liturgy, Vale said in her opening remarks that with the reopening of the bridge, there was a resurrection and rebirth of spirit after varying levels of access. Listing a number of landmarks around the world that were built in shorter time than the Germantown Avenue bridge, Vale commented that only the Brooklyn Bridge built in the 19th century was constructed in a longer time: 13 years.

While there was a struggle to build the bridge, there was satisfaction in bringing the community together, Vale said, adding that there was a spirit of cooperation. “While the process of building bridges was once great, the invisible bridge uniting us as a community was brought together by minds and hearts. May the bridge fill a future of peace uniting people in the community, the nation and the earth.”

In her remarks, Tolson said that although Vale had said earlier that the bridge was 10 years in the making, Joe Syrnick, the city’s chief engineer and surveyor, and Lutz had begun seeking federal funding for such a project two years earlier. The Streets Commissioner said that in the 1680s, when the Indians walked through the area, it was a great road of commerce. Three hundred years later, Tolson said, it was a bridge between the government and the interested parties. After the mayor had a meeting in April 2000, it took one year for the construction to begin, she explained, adding that 95 percent of the $6 million project came from Federal Highway Administration funds.

Noting the participation of PennDOT and city officials, Tolson said, “as a department we learned to work as a partnership, not dictators. Thank you for your ‘stick-to-it-iveness’ to protect the historic integrity of the bridge.”

Lutz took the crowd through an overview of the construction and thanked people and firms who worked on the project. The improvements include building two piers instead of eight that were there previously, a move that will help alleviate flooding, and the installation of a separate footpath leading to Wissahickon trails with a railing built of Brazilian rosewood, certified by a watchdog group that wood used would not harm the rain forests. Other improvements are snap strips, subtle ruts in the pavement that will slow traffic, and a traffic light on the northern end of the bridge.

In March 1993, the railing of the downstream side of the bridge fell in the creek, Lutz said, adding that that on Valentine’s Day 1997, cracks a foot wide were found in two of the eight piers. Among the people and firms thanked by Lutz were Lane Fike, his chief of staff; designers of records URS and architects H2 L2; contractors Neshaminy Constructors; subcontractors Felix Mendetto, who built the sidewalk curb; and Venetian Stone, which built stone-faced Jersey barriers.

Following Lutz, Vale thanked the interested parties; Michael Sabia of Chestnut Hill Stone, a Glenside firm which gave away small blocks of Wissahickon schist to the crowd; Anne Hopkin Flowers, which provided flowers for the lectern; Bruno’s, which provided refreshments for the ceremony; the Germantown Avenue bridge celebration committee and the Sisters of St. Joseph, the college administration, faculty and students.

Remembering the times that she could be ornery at meetings about the bridge, State Sen. Allyson Schwartz said that the bridge speaks to the positive that happens when neighbors and the institutions wanted the bridge “done right.”

Noting that Chestnut Hill College officials, Chestnut Hill Historical Society officials and near neighbor Anna Belle Loeb all learned things about bridge construction that they thought only PennDot and the Streets Department knew, Schwartz said that by law, the interested parties had to be involved in the negotiations. Schwartz said that the bridge was the best done bridge that respected history and had a vision for the future.

Introducing Mayor Street, Vale recalled that soon after he took office, he agreed to a meeting with the interested parties and government officials. Not long after the representatives of the group began to share concerns, Street issued a cease and desist order, asked them to cut to the chase about issues and sent them to a room to come to an agreement.

“When I became mayor, this bridge was an example of how government doesn’t get things done,” said Street, recalling the anger and frustration he saw at the meeting. “There was much discussion and more questions than people thought were necessary. I met with Councilwoman Miller and said that the bridge had to get done. I always believe that government can be an enabler, not a frustration. I will always be grateful to Frank Rizzo, who is a supporter of neighborhoods. It’s nice to see a satisfied community. The bridge is very important to community and to businesses. “

Rather than reading the City Council citation, Rizzo and Miller thanked Stewart Graham, Rizzo’s chief of staff and Steve Vaughn, Miller’s chief of staff.

In her closing remarks, Vale said that the bridge is a unifer. “We achieved friendships and learned lessons.” Sister Patricia Kelly, SSJ, president of the Sisters of St. Joseph, said. “May there be unity in community, nation and on earth.”

With that, a horse and carriage crossed the bridge, followed by a procession of antique and classic cars, a Rizzo campaign van, pedestrians and motorists. During the ceremony, streets department employees removed the “Road Closed” signs from Northwestern and Hillcrest avenues. Although the bridge is open to traffic, Lutz told the Local that work still to be done includes completion of a railing, landscaping and the final inspection for the contractors.