Starting in mid-June, motorists who regularly drive on Silver Spring Boulevard and Interchange Road will need to leave extra time for their daily commute.

Starting between June 11 and 15, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will begin bridge replacements on both roads.

The bridge that spans the Chapple Creek along Silver Spring Boulevard will be shut down to traffic from June 15 until July 25 for complete replacement. The method being used to replace the bridge requires the existing bridge to be completely removed before a new span can be dropped into place.

During a number of meetings with the residents of Eldred Township, PennDOT officials said this method would require the road to be closed and a detour put into place, but that in the end the job would be accomplished and the road would be reopened much quicker.

The detour will take traffic along Fiddletown Road, approximately 8 miles to Kunkletown Road.

The second and much lengthier traffic restrictions will come by way of the replacement of the bridge which spans the Middle Creek in Kresgeville.

The bridge which sits on Route 209 at the intersection of Route 534 is the last Monroe County bridge listed in the PennDOT Rapid Bridge Replacement plan.

According to Eldred Township Supervisor Gary Hoffman the township has requested temporary removal of weight restrictions on bridges along the detour route. Hoffman said local emergency services from Kunkletown, Polk and the West End Ambulance will coordinate a plan for emergency services during the closure.

Hoffman said the Polk and Kunkletown fire chiefs met with representatives of the West End Ambulance and him, as a representative of the 911 Center to discuss the closures on Tuesday evening. Chiefs Kevin Silliman and Billy Tippett as well as a number of line officers attended from the fire companies and Chris Schierloh represented the West End Ambulance.

Hoffman said that the group reviewed the detour routes for each project and the expected added response times.

The group agreed to a “dual response” for calls in the area. The group also agreed that the key to making this work was to educate all parties involved on the progress and to keep open communications and updates throughout the project.

Polk Township supervisors were notified that construction will begin on or about June 11 and continue through December.

PennDOT does not intend to close Interchange Road during the construction, but will instead narrow the road to an 11-foot lane and install temporary traffic signals to direct the traffic flow through the construction zone.

Polk Township Chairman and Roadmaster Brian Ahner is concerned about the planned construction going so late in the year.

“I really hope that the snow holds off this year,” Ahner said. “That 11 feet could make plowing more difficult.”