Shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday, construction crews removed steel barricades and opened sidewalks of the East Broad Street bridge crossing the Little Schuylkill River.

That move opened the span to pedestrian traffic and united the east and west sides of town for the first time in 16 months.

The bridge is part of Tamaqua's main street and also serves as Route 209, a U. S. highway.

There still are some project-related components to be addressed, according to PennDOT.

Bridge lighting will be completed by Tamaqua borough and parking meters installed.

The bridge was closed to vehicles and pedestrians on June 3, 2013, resulting in major rerouting.

The bridge originally was 100 feet long and 58 feet wide.

The new bridge is 116 feet long and carries an estimated 6,450 vehicles per day.