(The following story by Barbara Miller appeared on The Patriot-News website on September 26.)
LEBANON, Pa. — The long-awaited project to build bridges over the Norfolk Southern rail tracks on the city’s main north/south thoroughfare moved forward Monday night as City Council approved taking $1.2 million from state liquid fuel tax funds to pay the city’s share of the $50 million project.
Construction of bridges on Ninth and 10th streets is expected to start in about two years and take a year on each span, Mayor Robert Anspach said.
Anspach said he isn’t sure how much the 10-year loan will cost each year, because the interest rate hasn’t been set, but said it would be well within the $500,000 in liquid fuel tax funds the city gets each year.
He also said the city would still be able to undertake other road projects. The state has yet to approve the loan.
The city’s share of the project is 5 percent; the federal share is 80 percent and the state share 15 percent.
The council announced a contest for artists to design artwork that will be made into three-dimensional bronze plaques on the interior wall of the Ninth Street bridge along the sidewalk.
For details, visit www.lebanonartscouncil.org.
Designs on the 10th Street bridge will be dedicated to emergency services.
The city has begun working on acquiring about 60 properties that will be needed for the bridge, but so far none have been purchased, Anspach said.
The bridge will extend 150 yards north and south from the railroad tracks.
For years, the city had discussed the need for such a bridge due to trains holding up emergency vehicles from getting from one side of the city to the other, but funding was a holdup.