The arrival of spring has seen the return of workers at the construction site of the Coplay-Northampton Bridge.

This is the second year of a three-year project.

“The opening of the new bridge is June 2020,” said Lehigh County Director of General Services Rick Molchany. “The job is on schedule. We are not behind.”

The three-year job of replacing the bridge began with the demolition of the 80-year-old concrete bridge and the steel superstructure on the Northampton side. Custom piers were then constructed into the bedrock of the Lehigh River.

Last summer, the first massive beams arrived on the Northampton side, followed by a late-August delivery to the Coplay side.

Much of the work underway is focused on the large pans, which will be the base for the deck.

“The concrete deck will be done this year - in November, around Thanksgiving,” Molchany said.

“The bridge work is going smoothly,” he added.

Molchany had praise for the general contractor, Trumbull Corporation, Pittsburgh, for its dedication to the project and efficient use of time.

Molchany said he is also pleased that the $33.5 million bridge construction is within budget.

The streetlights are arriving for the new bridge and will be installed as the project moves on.

The traffic light at Ninth and Main streets in Northampton and the light at Second and Chestnut streets in Coplay will be timed to avoid traffic backups. There will also be a turning lane approaching Northampton for vehicles turning left onto Main Street.

This new span over the Lehigh River replaces the concrete bridge erected in 1930, which had replaced an earlier wooden bridge.