by KATIE WORRALL

The Philadelphia Streets Department closed Bell’s Mill Road Bridge eastbound last Friday after a crack was found in an arch on the upstream, Roxborough-bound side of the stone bridge.

Although the bridge was closed completely for a while on Friday, tying up traffic on nearby roads, by mid-morning on Monday, jersey barriers and traffic barricades were blocking the eastbound lane. Traffic, however, was able to pass while surveyors were working nearby.

“There is a fairly major crack underneath one of the arches that is causing us concern,” said Joe Syrnick, the city’s chief engineer and surveyor. “This was noticed two months ago. We monitored in on Wednesday and again on Thursday. On Friday, we thought there was deterioration.”

Syrnick said that the bridge had been scheduled for rehabilitation in fiscal year 2006, but that now the streets department needs to find money for emergency repairs.

The bridge, built in 1820, is one of three stone-arch bridges in the Chestnut Hill area that are on PennDOT’s list for possible replacement. Syrnick said that there is no connection between the Streets Department action and the PennDOT project, which is now gathering public comment on which bridges to save and which to replace.

Syrnick said that he is not pleased the bridge had to be closed, but at least the Germantown Avenue bridge is now open.

Maxine Maddox Dornemann, president of the Chestnut Hill Community Association, said that the closing of the bridge is a concern to the community. She hopes that the bridge will not be closed for a long time and that it will not be scheduled for demolition.

A press release sent to the Local on Friday said that the bridge would be closed to eastbound traffic until emergency repairs could be planned and completed. Posted detours will direct eastbound traffic north on Ridge Avenue/Pike, east on Church Road and back to Germantown Pike/Avenue.

The bridge was closed to westbound traffic on Friday while barricades were erected but then reopened to minimize the impact on adjacent roads. To ensue the safety of motorists, vehicle weight restrictions will be in effect until permanent repairs are completed. Vehicles weighing over the posted limit, including school buses and trucks, will need to use an alternate route.

The Street Department said that the bridge carries 13,500 vehicles each day.