ENGLISH CENTER - Old age has caused the temporary closure of the steel suspension truss bridge over Little Pine Creek Road in Pine Township.
A consultant found one of the cross member supports snapped on the bridge, which is one-half mile west of Route 287 here, said Rick Mason, state Department of Transportation spokesman.
A bridge inspection team inspected the deterioration on Friday and ordered it closed later that day.
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MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette
Signs stop motorists from accessing the steel suspension truss bridge near English Center after state highway officials discovered a piece had snapped last week.
"There was an issue and we immediately closed the bridge for safety reasons as a precaution," Mason said.
"We'll be able to replace the part that snapped and reopen very quickly," he said.
Until then, motorists have been detoured along Routes 44, 973 and 287.
The bridge was built in 1891 and previously had a 3-ton weight limit.
The work will "hopefully" be completed within the next two weeks, Mason said.
The bridge also is on the list of spans to be updated.
