Water Street Bridge Open, Will Be Closed Monday for Debris Removal

The Lower Saucon Township Police Department announced Sunday morning that the Water Street Bridge has reopened following an inspection by PennDOT officials.

However, the bridge will close again from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday so debris left piled up against it can be removed by PennDOT workers.

The bridge was closed early Saturday after it was inundated by the flooding of the Saucon and Silver creeks Friday night.

The 80-year-old two-lane bridge has been temporarily closed several times in recent months for emergency repairs, leading to some speculation that its continued deterioration will force PennDOT to close it permanently before its scheduled replacement in the summer of 2019.

The bridge is located in Hellertown borough, Lower Saucon Township and the City of Bethlehem, and is used by both pedestrians and motorists traveling into and out of Hellertown.

The closure of the bridge forced the cancellation of Sunday morning’s Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market in the adjacent Water Street Park.