There was a collective sigh of relief at the Northampton Borough Council meeting Feb. 2 on hearing vehicle traffic will continue unimpeded on the Cementon-Northampton Bridge during construction of a new replacement bridge over the Lehigh River.

The report from borough Manager LeRoy Brobst will likely smooth concerns of area residents, many of whom had heard rumors the present bridge would be demolished first, then construction of a new span would begin.

“I spoke with Ms. Laura Montgomery, the project manager for the Cementon Bridge replacement,” Brobst said. “According to her, a new bridge will be built just south of the existing bridge, and the current bridge will be kept open to traffic.

“She said the project would not begin until 2019,” Brobst said.

Route 329 is a principal state highway in the area, and the bridge connects 21st Street in Northampton and First Street in Cementon.

The bridge is a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) structure. Design and preliminary engineering work on replacing the deteriorating 1930s-era bridge have been ongoing for more than three years.

It is too early for PennDOT to finalize its bridge construction plans and say how many, if any, properties would need to be taken under eminent domain for the project. It is expected the work will take approximately two years.

Borough and Whitehall Township officials had earlier feared if the present bridge would be removed before the new bridge is completed, problems regarding vehicle traffic would be beyond comprehension.

Traffic had already been a concern of council members, who have been discussing the issue as the borough reviews and updates its comprehensive plan.

Council also was told work on the Cementon-Northampton Bridge will not be started until the Coplay-Northampton Bridge project is completed. That two-year project is expected to begin this spring.