Route 33 Interchange Bridge Grant Doubled

Palmer Township's role as a pass-through agent for work on the Route 33/Main Street Bridge has now gotten bigger.

Township supervisors had reported that it would serve as the funnel of $3 million of funding where Palmer would pay the contractor and then be reimbursed by Charles Chrin Companies, which is developing the Route 33  interchange.

But now that grant has doubled to $6 million, Supervisors Chairman Dave Colver said.

"They were successful in obtaining an additional $3 million," Colver said. "We had to amend the agreement. No Palmer taxpayer money would be used."

The bridge replacement is expected to cost between $7 million and $8 million.

Colver said that the two-lane bridge would come down in its entirety and would be transformed into a bridge that was six lanes wide and two feet higher with its own pedestrian lane for bikes and walking.

"They are going to tear it down and start over," Colver said.