ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A newly replaced pedestrian bridge is “going to make life a heck of a lot easier” for young students on Allentown's South Side, according to Mayor Matt Tuerk.
The 37-foot aluminum structure spans Trout Creek, an impediment in recent years for many who walk to South Mountain Middle School and Dodd Elementary School or catch a bus along Dixon Street.
Kids “didn't have an easy way to get across,” Tuerk said at a news conference to formally open the span Tuesday. “They had to take a major hike or just take their chances and try to jump across a creek.”
“We're here because somebody spoke up, somebody in Allentown did what Allentonians do — somebody showed up."Mayor Matt Tuerk
Many young students might enjoy that challenge, he said, noting he and his friends often used a rope swing on their way to school.
“But we want to be safer [than] that for our kids here in Allentown,” Tuerk said.
City staff examined the bridge in 2021 after getting complaints from residents and parents whose kids used it.
They quickly determined it was beyond repair, according to Allentown Parks and Recreation Director Mandy Tolino.
The new bridge was shipped to Allentown in a single piece and installed on new abutments along the creek, according to Tolino.
The $275,000 project also included paved ramps that create an ADA-compliant, “safe, direct route” to school, she said.
'The little things that matter'
City officials thanked U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, state Sen. Nick Miller and other elected leaders who supported the project, as well as the Lehigh Valley Humane Society.
The Dixon Street nonprofit granted the city an easement to enable the project.
“If you show up for your neighbor, for the people you love, for the kid who’s just crossing the street … we’re going to match that energy."Mayor Matt Tuerk
State Rep. Pete Schweyer, a Democrat from Allentown’s South Side, said seemingly small projects such as the new bridge “matter to our communities.”
“As we’re continuing to look at the big projects downtown and major road improvements and such, we’re never going to forget the little things that matter so very much to the people that live in a particular neighborhood,” Schweyer said.
City Council Vice President Cynthia Mota said the bridge is “more than just a structure.”
“It is a safe pathway that connects families, neighborhoods and, most importantly, our children to the schools and to each other,” Mota said.
Tuerk paid tribute to residents who “showed up” for their community by pressuring officials to invest in a new bridge.
“We're here because somebody spoke up, somebody in Allentown did what Allentonians do — somebody showed up,” he said.
“If you show up for your neighbor, for the people you love, for the kid who’s just crossing the street … we’re going to match that energy."
