The Vermillion Hills footbridge on Vermont Lane near Viking Lane is set for renovations in the upcoming months.
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The Falls Board of Supervisors last week unanimously greenlit the advertisement for the bridge improvement project.
The footbridge overhaul includes handrail reconstruction, stripping, and repainting. Improvements to the footbridge’s approach are planned and additional work, like stabilizing the stream bank and adding walking paths are planned.
Joseph Jones, the township engineer, said the updates were initially slated to begin earlier in the year, but he admitted to underestimating the time for site surveying. The site covers half an acre of wooded land and various stream cross-sections.
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“This has been going on for a long time,” Supervisors Chairman Jeff Dence said
Jones confirmed that the design is about 90 percent done.
Jones said the township will seek bids later this month and is aiming for construction to kick off by the end of the year.
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The footbridge’s closeness to a creek and potential safety concerns of working on an unstable streambank mean some additional engineering work will be needed, Jones said.
The engineer said the work will be in compliance with the Falls Township Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permit.
Manor Elementary School teacher Marta Grothman came to township officials last year about potentially restoring the bridge and clearing the bushes, trees, and brush, as part of a school project.
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When the project is nearing competition, he footbridge’s dedication plaque will undergo replacement.
There is another footbridge nearby that was replaced by Falls Township some years back.
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