Watch Now: New Wolf Bridge opens to traffic in Middlesex Township

The re-opening of Wolf Bridge in Middlesex Township this week marks a big step in Cumberland County’s infrastructure program, with the completion of the $2.3 million bridge replacement.

The new bridge features two 12-foot lanes with four-foot shoulders, an improvement over the single-lane bridge it replaced, which dated from 1895.

For the last several years, the county has undertaken a repair or replacement program for all 28 bridges that fall under its jurisdiction, many of which were found to have structural deficiencies.

Wolf Bridge 7 — The new Wolf Bridge in Middlesex Township opened for traffic Wednesday. The bridge closed in September 2013.

Jason Malmont, The Sentinel

After six years of being closed, Wolf Bridge replacement project starts Monday in Middlesex Township

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Many bridges have had their weight limits curtailed due to safety concerns in anticipation of repair or replacement; the new Wolf Bridge does not have a weight limit, according to the county.

The county’s bridge program was facilitated by Pennsylvania Act 89 of 2013, which included a provision allowing counties to collect an extra $5 per vehicle registration fee to be used to finance local transportation infrastructure work.

The county collects roughly $1.1 million per year through the vehicle fee, which has allowed it to leverage state and federal grant dollars, with roughly $30 million in bridge projects funded over the past five years.