BALTIMORE COUNTY — Some people in Baltimore and Harford County now have a sense of relief after one of their bridges is finally open after a more than year of repairs.
The project took help from city and county leaders like Mayor Brandon Scott and County Executive Johnny Olszewski to make it happen. Elaine Williams lives right near the Phoenix Road Bridge in Baltimore County.
After a $10.5 million investment, and a year and a half worth of repairs, city and county leaders announced its grand reopening.
“It’s really nice not to have to drive all the way around to get to Wegmans. First thing I’m going to do after the bridge is really open, is drive to the cleaners,” Williams said.
“This is a bridge that was built over 100 years ago and you know that inspection back in '29 showed that the bridge was no longer safe,” Olszewski said.
“During construction stringent environmental protection was implemented to safeguard the region's drinking water supply and to protect our beautiful NCR trail below. The new structure is 435 feet long and it’s one of the longest-standing bridges within the three city-owned reservoirs,” Scott said.
Neighbors like Williams said they found out there was an issue with the structure of the bridge that made it dangerous to drive across.
“We found out that there wasn’t any rebar in the pillars and it’s a very tall bridge all of a sudden this is not good,” Williams said.
The bridge is in Baltimore County, but Baltimore City is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of all transportation structures in its reservoirs. This includes Loch Raven, Liberty, and Prettyboy Reservoirs. With the city and county collaboration, leaders took advantage of President Biden's bipartisan infrastructure law, and with the help of Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources, they made it happen.
“ Baltimore City and Baltimore County are working together to deliver amazing projects for all of our residents,” Olszewski said.
“ The county executive said this is the Cadillac of bridges and I agree,” Scott said.
“It’s just such a surprise to have something that’s so functional be so beautiful,” Williams said.
