PennDOT will replace Fifth Street Bridge over Route 22 in Whitehall; seeks public input on plans

PennDOT is giving the public an early look at plans for a new Fifth Street Bridge over Route 22 in Whitehall Township, and a chance to give feedback.

Until June 7, residents can view and give input on the reconstruction plans by going to the PennDOT website , where they can find both the plans and a questionnaire .

The proposed bridge would be 47 feet wide, 163 feet long, and have a vertical clearance of nearly 17 feet, according to the plans . It would include two 12-foot-wide lanes, northbound and southbound across Route 22.

PennDOT would build shoulders and sidewalks on each side. The shoulders would be 4 1/2 feet wide, while the sidewalks would be about 5-6 feet wide.

The road approaching the bridge to the south and north will be reconstructed.

The bridge would also have a protective fence and concrete barrier on the western and eastern sides.

Construction of the bridge, which PennDOT said is in the preliminary engineering phase, should go from early 2028 to the summer of 2029, a project document stated .

“Fifth Street is a vital corridor to Whitehall Township, and the removal of the previous bridge has hindered community connectivity,” the document added.

PennDOT spokesperson Sean Brown estimated construction would cost about $6 million, paid for by a mix of state and federal funding. He added that the only traffic impacts would be occasional lane restrictions on Route 22 during nighttime hours.

PennDOT demolished the original bridge in 2017 as part of its project to widen Route 22 .

Whitehall Township Mayor Joseph Marx said he felt “fantastic” about the project and called it much needed. He pointed to two main advantages of the bridge: It allows emergency services to travel around the area much more efficiently, and lets pedestrians get around without needing a vehicle or public transportation.

“We’re going to have a new, improved Fifth Street Bridge, which is awesome,” he said.

Marx was concerned, however, about how this project would happen at the same time as the Fullerton Avenue Interchange upgrades, which PennDOT said it would present the plans for in the future. The mayor added that any traffic impacts would more likely affect commuters on Route 22 than Whitehall residents.