By Chris Barber
Contributing Writer

Chester County has plans to replace a bridge along Elkview Road that crosses the East Branch of the Big Elk Creek separating Penn and Lower Oxford townships.

James Patil, the bridge team manager for Larson Design Group of York, presented the plan to the Penn Township Board of Supervisors at its Feb. 4 meeting.

Patil oversees the design, direction and coordination of the design projects, according to his position listed online.

He came with several large photographs of the bridge to accompany his talk.

The Elk View Road Bridge is a tiny overpass that crosses over the creek about a half mile south of the East Penn Railroad Trestle. It sits beside a farm on one side and a wide field on the other.

Patil said the bridge has weaknesses that would cause all of the supports to collapse if just one failed.

He added his company would be responsible not only for the bridge replacement but for designating a detour during the construction.

The bridge is currently 16-feet wide, and its replacement will be 22 feet. It is a one-lane-only bridge now according to the sign, but will be expanded so it can expanded for two-way traffic.

When asked how long the project would take for the replacement, Patil said, “About one season.”

He did not say when the work would begin, but suggested it could be 2026. He did not talk about how much the project would cost.

Later, Patil’s associate, Brett Coleman, the senior project manager of Traffic Planning and Design Inc., indicated that the work would probably occur in 2027.

Meanwhile, the board members were curious about several aspects of the project.

Board Vice President Radar O’Connell asked if there would be a bike lane.

Coleman said it was not their responsibility to add that feature, and there would not be one.

O’Connell then asked if there would be a sidewalk.

Coleman again said it was not their responsibility, and there would be no sidewalk.

Township Manager Karen Versuk asked if there were other safety measures built in, and if they had plans for the approaches and exits to the bridge.

She also asked if Coleman had met with Penn Roadmaster Corey Brown.

In the absence of a meeting to date, she insisted that a meeting would be needed.

Coleman agreed to have a meeting with Brown in the future.