In April, The Daily Pennsylvanian Opinion Board encouraged the City to adopt the South Street Bridge Coalition's changes to the current proposal.
Now, almost four months later, the bridge is still open - albeit with a 6-ton weight limit - and it is time to take some sort of action.
It is estimated that the bridge's demolition and reconstruction will take up to two years to complete. With traffic already limited, it makes sense to begin reconstruction quickly so that a fully accessible structure may be completed as soon as possible.
The City has been dragging its heels on this important project for over 10 years. At this point, bureaucracy stands in the way of efficiency.
The South Street Bridge must be reborn in a form that suits both city planners and the community - and quickly. Only with fast action and some compromises on both sides can the City complete the project in a reasonable timeframe.
As bits of concrete continue crumbling and falling into the Schuylkill, plans must be finalized and a construction firm chosen.
No one advocates rushing into a $50 million dollar project, but the plans were unveiled two years ago. Let's fix this bridge right - and sooner rather than later..
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