The South Perkasie Covered Bridge Restoration Project
Fall of 2019 Perkasie Borough Council formed a covered bridge committee made up of four council historical committee members, the Parks and Recreation and Public Works Directors, two members of Perkasie Historical Society and one member of Bucks County Covered Bridge Society. Mayor Hollenbach is also an ad hoc committee member. This committee will oversee the bridge restoration, fundraising, and securing of available grants.
Brief 1832 South Perkasie Covered Bridge history
WFMZ Channel 69 South Perkasie Covered Bridge Project Coverage
Perkasie Borough Information link: South Perkasie Covered Bridge (perkasieborough.org)
Previous Status of the Project:
Fall 2023: Borough Requests for Proposals (RFP) were communicated.
August 4,2023: Borough Requests for Proposals (RFP) were communicated.
April 2023: Perkasie Borough Press Release
February 2022: Perkasie Borough Information link: South Perkasie Covered Bridge (perkasieborough.org)
December 2021: Next steps pending FEMA funding decision.
November 3, 2021:
The RFP for reconstruction of the bridge (not the abutments) is undergoing final review and will be distributed on Monday, November 8, 2021. The current recommendation from the Borough professionals is to pivot the bridge slightly to be parallel with the stream and future flood waters. This would allow the strongest currents to hit the short end of the bridge versus hitting the bridge broadside.
Pivoting the bridge would require new and higher abutments to be built. The abutments will be designed by the Borough’s structural engineer. Funding for the design and construction of the abutments has not been determined yet. Because the current abutments were destroyed by Hurricane Ida, the Borough is hoping that FEMA will allocate funding to the historic structure.
By early 2022 the Borough should have cost estimates for the reconstruction of the bridge and construction of the new abutments, and the final total cost of the project would be known. Perkasie Borough Council will determine how to proceed from that point.
November 3, 2021:
The RFP for reconstruction of the bridge (not the abutments) is undergoing final review and will be distributed on Monday, November 8, 2021. The current recommendation from the Borough professionals is to pivot the bridge slightly to be parallel with the stream and future flood waters. This would allow the strongest currents to hit the short end of the bridge versus hitting the bridge broadside.
Pivoting the bridge would require new and higher abutments to be built. The abutments will be designed by the Borough’s structural engineer. Funding for the design and construction of the abutments has not been determined yet. Because the current abutments were destroyed by Hurricane Ida, the Borough is hoping that FEMA will allocate funding to the historic structure.
By early 2022 the Borough should have cost estimates for the reconstruction of the bridge and construction of the new abutments, and the final total cost of the project would be known. Perkasie Borough Council will determine how to proceed from that point.
November 1, 2021: Perkasie Borough Update provided by Scott Bomboy on Facebook : "The South Perkasie Covered Bridge rehab proposal is done and will go to contractors in the next 7-10 days. The Borough Manager and Engineer updated Perkasie Borough Council tonight on the South Perkasie Covered Bridge project. The Request for Proposal document will go out to contractors in the next 7-10 days. That puts us on target for starting the rehab in late spring or early summer. We are asking the contractors, who all have extensive covered bridge experience, to devise a rehab plan with budget numbers.Also, the Lenape Park amphitheater groundbreaking was today and the structure should be completed by February 2022.
October 5, 2021: Perkasie Borough Update on the South Perkasie Covered Bridge, Councilman, Scott Bomboy posted the following on his Perkasie Blog. . . October 6, 2021 .
THE BRIDGE BEFORE THE STABILIZATION PROJECT
Our early assessment of the bridge site showed the flood waters were 18 inches above its deck. In the August 4, 2020 flood, the waters had just reached the deck before receding. During Ida, the flood waters moved the bridge about 15 feet to the north in Lenape Park. The bridge was left resting with one side on the ground and the other on what remained of the abutments. We also believed the electrical conduit for the lights inside the bridge helped to tether the bridge and prevented a catastrophic event.
On September 3, Perkasie Borough started working on a plan to get the bridge level again, off the ground, and secured in place for its future rehabilitation. On September 7, Borough Council approved the use of funds, under Mayor Hollenbach’s emergency declaration, not to exceed $50,000 for the project.
Because of the need to make the bridge’s location safe to the public, we expedited the project. Jim Purcell from Borough Council and our Public Works Director Jeff Tulone worked with Ambrose Rigging, the Timber Framers Guild and Arnold M. Graton Associates on the stabilization plan for about a week. On September 14, 2020, the bridge was slowly lifted by two 45-ton forklifts, and wooden cribbing was placed under the bridge to level the structure. Over the next week, the team added a wire support system anchored to cement blocks.
THE STABILIZATION PROJECT UNDERWAY
For now, the covered bridge is stable and well-supported. The next steps for Perkasie Borough are to put the project out to bid to get a final estimated cost. This will include timber restoration and the creation of new abutments, and possibly moving the bridge.
As part of that process Perkasie Borough must determine if the South Perkasie Covered Bridge can remain in its current location without incurring future flood damage. If the bridge is moved, the Borough could lose its $100,000 state grant to rehab the bridge because it may no longer be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Borough will keep researching the location issue and also continue talks with the state Historic Preservation Office about the National Register issue. There is also agreement among four experts that the covered bridge can be fully rehabilitated and that the timber structure is intact. However, the new abutments should be at least two to three feet higher, with tie-downs to connect the bridge to the abutments.
For now, we hope to start the rehabilitation project in the late spring/early summer of 2022, with extensive planning underway before the physical construction starts.
Until then, Perkasie Borough will concentrate of the bid process for the plan and subsequent contractors, and then the funding need to complete the project. So far, the Perkasie Historical Society and Perkasie Borough have raised $217,000 dedicated to the covered bridge.
September 1, 2021: Hurricane Ida
(May 4, 2021) Perkasie Councilman, S. Bomboy " On Monday night, Perkasie Borough council voted unanimously to approve a covenant with the state Historic and Preservation Commission to preserve and restore our South Perkasie Covered Bridge. The agreement allows us to move forward with the restoration project, in conjunction with the Perkasie Historical Society. Together, we’ve raised more than $217,000 to save our bridge, with Perkasie residents and businesses donating more than half that amount. Next, we will prepare documents for qualified vendors to bid on a design and repair plan. That plan will give us a final project cost. Realistically, that process will last until the fall, with the actual bridge restoration beginning in March 2022.
(April 2021 )Perkasie Councilman, S. Bomboy e-mail . . ." We hope to vote on the RFP process for the bridge at the next council meeting. We want to bid out the design plan for the bridge first and assuming we get bidders the plans would be done by July. This is a requirement from the Borough engineer to get final budget numbers for the whole project. Then we have to hire the timber construction contractor to rebuild the bridge. We don’t see working on the physical rehab until March 2022, because we can’t work on the bridge on site after early October 2021. . ."
(Fall 2020) Perkasie Borough has received approval for the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Keystone Historic Preservation Construction Grant.
More information:
Previous Status of the Covered Bridge Updates:
The South Perkasie Covered Bridge Restoration Project
Fall of 2019 Perkasie Borough Council formed a covered bridge committee made up of four council historical committee members, the Parks and Recreation and Public Works Directors, two members of Perkasie Historical Society and one member of Bucks County Covered Bridge Society. Mayor Hollenbach is also an ad hoc committee member. This committee will oversee the bridge restoration, fundraising, and securing of available grants.
Brief 1832 South Perkasie Covered Bridge history
WFMZ Channel 69 South Perkasie Covered Bridge Project Coverage
Perkasie Borough Information link: South Perkasie Covered Bridge (perkasieborough.org)
Previous Status of the Project:
Fall 2023: Borough Requests for Proposals (RFP) were communicated.
August 4,2023: Borough Requests for Proposals (RFP) were communicated.
April 2023: Perkasie Borough Press Release
February 2022: Perkasie Borough Information link: South Perkasie Covered Bridge (perkasieborough.org)
December 2021: Next steps pending FEMA funding decision.
November 3, 2021:
The RFP for reconstruction of the bridge (not the abutments) is undergoing final review and will be distributed on Monday, November 8, 2021. The current recommendation from the Borough professionals is to pivot the bridge slightly to be parallel with the stream and future flood waters. This would allow the strongest currents to hit the short end of the bridge versus hitting the bridge broadside.
Pivoting the bridge would require new and higher abutments to be built. The abutments will be designed by the Borough’s structural engineer. Funding for the design and construction of the abutments has not been determined yet. Because the current abutments were destroyed by Hurricane Ida, the Borough is hoping that FEMA will allocate funding to the historic structure.
By early 2022 the Borough should have cost estimates for the reconstruction of the bridge and construction of the new abutments, and the final total cost of the project would be known. Perkasie Borough Council will determine how to proceed from that point.
November 3, 2021:
The RFP for reconstruction of the bridge (not the abutments) is undergoing final review and will be distributed on Monday, November 8, 2021. The current recommendation from the Borough professionals is to pivot the bridge slightly to be parallel with the stream and future flood waters. This would allow the strongest currents to hit the short end of the bridge versus hitting the bridge broadside.
Pivoting the bridge would require new and higher abutments to be built. The abutments will be designed by the Borough’s structural engineer. Funding for the design and construction of the abutments has not been determined yet. Because the current abutments were destroyed by Hurricane Ida, the Borough is hoping that FEMA will allocate funding to the historic structure.
By early 2022 the Borough should have cost estimates for the reconstruction of the bridge and construction of the new abutments, and the final total cost of the project would be known. Perkasie Borough Council will determine how to proceed from that point.
November 1, 2021: Perkasie Borough Update provided by Scott Bomboy on Facebook : "The South Perkasie Covered Bridge rehab proposal is done and will go to contractors in the next 7-10 days. The Borough Manager and Engineer updated Perkasie Borough Council tonight on the South Perkasie Covered Bridge project. The Request for Proposal document will go out to contractors in the next 7-10 days. That puts us on target for starting the rehab in late spring or early summer. We are asking the contractors, who all have extensive covered bridge experience, to devise a rehab plan with budget numbers.Also, the Lenape Park amphitheater groundbreaking was today and the structure should be completed by February 2022.
October 5, 2021: Perkasie Borough Update on the South Perkasie Covered Bridge, Councilman, Scott Bomboy posted the following on his Perkasie Blog. . . October 6, 2021 .
THE BRIDGE BEFORE THE STABILIZATION PROJECT
Our early assessment of the bridge site showed the flood waters were 18 inches above its deck. In the August 4, 2020 flood, the waters had just reached the deck before receding. During Ida, the flood waters moved the bridge about 15 feet to the north in Lenape Park. The bridge was left resting with one side on the ground and the other on what remained of the abutments. We also believed the electrical conduit for the lights inside the bridge helped to tether the bridge and prevented a catastrophic event.
On September 3, Perkasie Borough started working on a plan to get the bridge level again, off the ground, and secured in place for its future rehabilitation. On September 7, Borough Council approved the use of funds, under Mayor Hollenbach’s emergency declaration, not to exceed $50,000 for the project.
Because of the need to make the bridge’s location safe to the public, we expedited the project. Jim Purcell from Borough Council and our Public Works Director Jeff Tulone worked with Ambrose Rigging, the Timber Framers Guild and Arnold M. Graton Associates on the stabilization plan for about a week. On September 14, 2020, the bridge was slowly lifted by two 45-ton forklifts, and wooden cribbing was placed under the bridge to level the structure. Over the next week, the team added a wire support system anchored to cement blocks.
THE STABILIZATION PROJECT UNDERWAY
For now, the covered bridge is stable and well-supported. The next steps for Perkasie Borough are to put the project out to bid to get a final estimated cost. This will include timber restoration and the creation of new abutments, and possibly moving the bridge.
As part of that process Perkasie Borough must determine if the South Perkasie Covered Bridge can remain in its current location without incurring future flood damage. If the bridge is moved, the Borough could lose its $100,000 state grant to rehab the bridge because it may no longer be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Borough will keep researching the location issue and also continue talks with the state Historic Preservation Office about the National Register issue. There is also agreement among four experts that the covered bridge can be fully rehabilitated and that the timber structure is intact. However, the new abutments should be at least two to three feet higher, with tie-downs to connect the bridge to the abutments.
For now, we hope to start the rehabilitation project in the late spring/early summer of 2022, with extensive planning underway before the physical construction starts.
Until then, Perkasie Borough will concentrate of the bid process for the plan and subsequent contractors, and then the funding need to complete the project. So far, the Perkasie Historical Society and Perkasie Borough have raised $217,000 dedicated to the covered bridge.
September 1, 2021: Hurricane Ida
(May 4, 2021) Perkasie Councilman, S. Bomboy " On Monday night, Perkasie Borough council voted unanimously to approve a covenant with the state Historic and Preservation Commission to preserve and restore our South Perkasie Covered Bridge. The agreement allows us to move forward with the restoration project, in conjunction with the Perkasie Historical Society. Together, we’ve raised more than $217,000 to save our bridge, with Perkasie residents and businesses donating more than half that amount. Next, we will prepare documents for qualified vendors to bid on a design and repair plan. That plan will give us a final project cost. Realistically, that process will last until the fall, with the actual bridge restoration beginning in March 2022.
(April 2021 )Perkasie Councilman, S. Bomboy e-mail . . ." We hope to vote on the RFP process for the bridge at the next council meeting. We want to bid out the design plan for the bridge first and assuming we get bidders the plans would be done by July. This is a requirement from the Borough engineer to get final budget numbers for the whole project. Then we have to hire the timber construction contractor to rebuild the bridge. We don’t see working on the physical rehab until March 2022, because we can’t work on the bridge on site after early October 2021. . ."
(Fall 2020) Perkasie Borough has received approval for the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Keystone Historic Preservation Construction Grant.
More information:
Previous Status of the Covered Bridge Updates:
The South Perkasie Covered Bridge Restoration Project