Traffic is flowing normally again along Center Street (SR309) in Tamaqua as PennDOT opened the new PA309/South Tamaqua Bridge.

The project began in September of 2011 to replace the old structurally deficient bridge, which was over the Little Schuylkill River in Tamaqua. The old bridge was a masonry stone arch bridge constructed in 1895. It was 107 feet long and 41 feet wide. The new bridge is a 103 feet long, 55.6 feet wide concrete bulb T-beam bridge.PennDOT contractors with Clearwater Construction had to build a temporary roadway and two-lane bridge to carry traffic over the river during the construction of the new bridge.Yesterday, traffic was shifted onto the new bridge, and now the contractor will begin the removal of the temporary bridge. The contractor will also continue with sidewalk and curb work, along with landscaping in the project area.Clearwater, of Mercer, is the general contractor on the $3,180,000 project.PA309 has an average daily traffic of 7,175 vehicles in South Tamaqua. Work is scheduled to be completed in May 2013.