Contractors have reached the midway point or beyond in their rehabilitation work at the Route 209 East Broad Street bridge in Tamaqua.

Crews have begun reconstructing the center arch, which is the final arch to be reworked.The project, begun, in early June, 2013, involves a complete overhaul of decking and support arches.The bridge carries two traffic lanes, two parking lanes, and two concrete sidewalks.The structure is designated a contributing resource to the Tamaqua National Historic District, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places of the National Park Service.It's also part of Tamaqua's local historic district.The original stone masonry bridge is believed to have been completed in 1904 and was widened in 1933 to include concrete sidewalks.The new design of the bridge will highlight the original stone arch design and has retained its original stones.Blooming Glen Contractors Inc. of Blooming Glen was awarded the $2,493,465 project.PennDOT officials said the project is expected to be completed by November.The community, essentially, has been divided in half by the bridge project since June 3, 2013, with detours in place since that time.