The bridge crossing White Clay Creek on RT 41/Pennsylvania Ave in Avondale will have its max weight reduced to 27 tons. This weight reduction is due to an engineering study that assessed the bridge’s structural condition.

A letter to residents from the Avondale Borough reads:

"This reduction in weight limit poses a substantial safety risk, considering the heavy truck traffic and the potential impediment to emergency vehicles. According to the Route 41 Corridor Study, the average number of trucks that cross this bridge per day is 3,427. This change will have a significant negative impact to our community and the businesses in the entire region.

Despite the Borough’s continued efforts, we have been unable to persuade PennDOT to establish a repair/replacement schedule for this essential bridge. 

We believe it is crucial to keep our community informed, and we encourage you to reach out to your elected officials for assistance with getting this bridge repaired and for information on the specific measures PennDOT intends to implement. The safety of our community is at stake, and the impact to commerce will be significant. 

For any questions and concerns, please call the Borough office at 610-268-8501 or visit our website (www.avondaleboro.net) for updates. We will continue to provide information as we receive it. Your interest and engagement in this matter are greatly appreciated."

PennDOT has a website dedicated to the PA 41 Project, which details the following: 

The existing Route 41 (Gap Newport Pike) bridge over White Clay Creek was built in 1927. The existing structure is a 69-foot long, two-span concrete-encased I-beam bridge and is in poor condition. The bridge has an annual average daily traffic (AADT) of approximately 18,300 vehicles per day, including 13% trucks. Route 41 has a posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour across the bridge and through the Borough of Avondale. Route 41 provides a two-lane crossing of the creek but expands to include an exclusive left-turn lane at each adjacent intersection. There are sidewalks on both sides of the roadway, with pedestrian accommodations extending through the borough.

Both the PA 41 Bridge White Clay Creek and the adjacent PA 41 at State Street Intersection project are potentially located within the Avondale Historic District, which was determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. Since that time, PennDOT, the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have agreed that the historic district National Register of Historic Places boundary should be re-evaluated to better document the context for the historic district, update the boundary for the district, and to document the resources that contribute to the district. As part of these projects, the consultant team for PennDOT has prepared information to update the historic district documentation. Coordination between PennDOT, SHPO, FHWA, and the Advisory Council regarding the historic district is ongoing.