PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – New Bethlehem Borough Council is providing an update on the ongoing Penn Street Bridge project. We are currently in the permitting, environmental clearance and survey stage, which is crucial for determining the extent of any impacts to nearby properties and project scope. Our engineering firm anticipates needing temporary easements from property owners on the west side of Leisure Run.

Originally, we expected the permitting and survey stage to be completed by early June. However, several unexpected delays in the process that have pushed our timeline back. We now anticipate completing this stage and assessing preliminary design impacts within the next few months, at which point our engineering firm will meet with any affected property owners.

While we understand the community’s desire for a more concrete timeline, the approval process through various state organizations can take anywhere from three to six months, depending on the project’s complexity. We are working diligently to expedite this phase and reduce further delays.

Throughout this process, we have maintained routine communication with Smuckers and surrounding residents to keep them updated on the latest developments. New Bethlehem Borough Council shares the community’s frustration with these delays and is persistently following up on the status of this project every month.

As soon as our engineering firm receives any updates regarding state approvals, we will promptly inform the public via our website, social media channels, and the local newspaper.

We greatly appreciate the community’s patience as we navigate the complexities of the government approval process. Please feel free to contact the Borough office with any additional questions or suggestions on how we can better serve the New Bethlehem area and Redbank Valley community.

CONTACT:
To contact any member of Council or the Borough’s office, please visit: NewBethlehemBoro.com/about and click the ‘Council’ tab. You may also ‘like/follow’ New Bethlehem Borough on Facebook for the latest news/announcements: Facebook.com/NewBethlehem

For more info, please visit New Bethlehem Borough’s website: NewBethlehemBoro.com