The Silver Creek and the Heller Homestead in Lower Saucon Township are now visible from the Saucon Rail Trail crossing at Water Street in Hellertown, after the removal of numerous large trees by PPL.
The removal of trees along West Water Street in Hellertown borough near the Water Street Bridge has nothing to do with a rumored plan to install a temporary bridge there to allow traffic to continue to cross the creek when the bridge is closed, Borough Manager Cathy Hartranft confirmed Monday.
At a borough council meeting Hartranft said the rumor is “untrue” and the removal of the trees is a PPL project.
She said the company is working in the right-of-way to install a three-phase line.
“They will be replacing some of those (removed) trees in the spring,” she added.
The 80-year-old Water Street Bridge is scheduled to be replaced by PennDOT in the summer of 2019, when it will be closed for two months.
The removal of the trees has noticeably changed the view for motorists traveling west on Water Street, who can now clearly see the historic Heller Homestead on the opposite side of the creek as they’re leaving town.
