A project to refurbish the deteriorating Carbon County owned bridge was awarded $600,000 to help cover a portion of the cost of the project.

State Rep. Doyle Heffley and Sen. Dave Argall announced the Multimodal Transportation Fund grant award for bridge 19, which is located along Pine Run on Pohopoco Drive in Towamensing Township. The 331-foot long bridge is 28 feet wide and crosses Beltzville Lake and Pine Run. It provides access to Beltzville State Park.

“I’m happy to see these resources are coming back to Carbon County,” said Heffley. “This is one of the largest county bridges, and it’s a crucial link for the community. The funds will help preserve the bridge structure for the long term and offset the county’s repair costs.”

“This highly competitive state funding will do much more than repair a bridge — it will support local employers, provide access to the recreation opportunities at Beltzville Lake, and continue to allow residents of the area to quickly visit Jim Thorpe and Lehighton,” said Argall.

Last year, the county commissioners applied for $1.2 million through the fund to help cover the refurbishment of the bridge.

The scope of work includes work on the structural steel gusset plate and bolts and concrete decking, installing 1 1/2-inch latex concrete overlay on the entire bridge as well as drainage and downspouting, and blast cleaning the steel girders, floor beams, and other bridge parts.

Commissioners’ Chairman Mike Sofranko said on Monday that the grant shows how things can get done if government works together.

“We’re pleased,” he said. “It gets us almost halfway there and it shows you that government does work when we all work together.”

He commended county grants coordinator Valerie Saveri, as well as fellow Commissioner Rocky Ahner for their efforts in applying for these funds.

Ahner also said Monday that bridge 19 was deemed structurally deficient, but refurbishing it will save the county millions in the long run. The designation also opens up Act 13 funds for the project.

“This is a crucial project for Carbon County since a total replacement would be $30 million,” Ahner said. “The rehabilitation would extend the life of the bridge 30 years. Receiving $600,000 and Carbon County’s Act 13 money this project can be accomplished.”