Dec 20, 2013 1 min read

After being closed for more than seven years, the newly constructed Caldwell Avenue bridge in Canton Township at last reopened to traffic Friday.

Canton Township fire Chief Dave Gump said he and other firefighters living on the eastern side of Chartiers had to take a two-mile trek to get to the fire station on Weirich Avenue while the bridge was down. Now, Gump said the new bridge has eliminated that inconvenience. “It’s real nice – a beautiful road, nice bridge,” Gump said. “I’m cutting down mostly on time getting here (to the station).”

Planning for the bridge replacement began in 1995, but the work was then tied to a low-level radiation clean-up project at the former Molycorp plant. Special permits had to be obtained to do the work, which slowed the process.