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Comments Submitted by S.A.V.E. to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission on June 1, 2012

 

Chandler Mill Bridge is an historic bridge listed on the National Register. For over 100 years it has served as a traffic calming device with an impeccable safety record.

Chandler Mill Bridge is located within Kennett's largest contiguous conservation corridor with over 400 acres of conserved lands, an educational preserve, historic landmarks, and public trails for walking, biking, and equestrian use along the Chandler Mill Road. In addition, the bridge is a contributing element to the proposed Red Clay Valley Byway, the Bucktoe Historic District, the Red Clay Greenway Trail and part of the Chester County Planning Commission's recommended bikeway network.

For the past seven years residents, engineers, and various township representatives have advocated for a one lane rehabilitation as opposed to a replacement. Rehabilitation is feasible, will be safer, and will save taxpayers up to $1 million or more over a two lane replacement.  

Plans for replacement of the historic Chandler Mill Bridge should be stricken from TIP #14251 and a one lane rehabilitation plan substituted. A design/build deck replacement project would restore the bridge to its legally required carrying capacity for weight, would expedite the reopening of the bridge, and would retain the historic features of the bridge, so desired by the community. Rehabilitation is feasible, warranted and will be safer and more cost effective for taxpayers. A two lane replacement would cost taxpayers at least $1 million more than rehabilitation of the bridge. The excessive cost of this unnecessary replacement is unacceptable. 

Small historic bridges are important traffic calming elements in our landscape. S.A.V.E. is part of a coalition that insists on the rehabilitation of Chandler Mill, Watermark and Hadfield bridges and opposes any attempt at demolition and replacement with large, more costly, high-speed structures