County Bridge Program
County Bridge Program
Overview
The County of Berks currently owns fifty-nine (59) bridges throughout Berks County including five (5) covered wooden bridges and several more of historical or cultural significance. Facilities & Operations oversees the daily maintenance of and capital improvements to these assets with an eye toward context-sensitive design and community stakeholder involvement. As transportation funding is limited, F&O works closely with the Board of Commissioners, PA Dept. of Transportation (PennDOT) and professional liaisons to utilize available funding in the wisest and most effective manner.
The operational and capital goals of the County of Berks bridge program are as follows:
- Through a systematic, measured and quantifiable prioritization process, address the capital and operational maintenance needs of all County-owned bridges.
- Utilize a diverse approach to funding of capital bridge improvement projects, ensuring the most efficient use of available transportation funding at the County, State and Federal levels.
- Address all deferred and preventative maintenance issues with a target of zero (0) annual Priority Maintenance Items issued by the DOT inspectors.
- Repair, replace or otherwise enhance all bridges that have a designation as "Structurally Deficient" to remove said designation by 2028.
- Preserve wherever possible the cultural and historical relevance of County-owned bridges and ensure context-sensitive design is a priority when planning bridge rehabilitations or replacements.
- Apply a judicious, analytical and objective approach to selectively identify bridges for divestiture, either via a turnback exchange with the local municipality or via demolition, that do not represent the County's regional interests and/or the most efficient use of taxpayer dollars.
- Develop and maintain a qualified and capable network of professional engineers and consultants to leverage the best experience and expertise for matters involving County bridges.
To report an issue or submit an inquiry pertaining to the County’s bridge network please call 610.478.6201 or email us.
$5 Local Use Fee For Vehicle Registrations
On October 27, 2016 the Berks County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted and enacted Ordinance 05-2016, implementing a $5 fee on the registration of all non-exempt vehicles registered to an address in Berks County. This Ordinance was enacted in full view of and compliance with the enabling legislation contained within Act 89 of 2013 via the amended Title 75 (Vehicle Code), PA. C.S. §1935 and the collection of the $5 fee revenue went into effect on March 1, 2017. As of the date of this correspondence the County of Berks has received $273,395.00 as a result of this fee (as reflected in the June 2017 disbursement), though we expect this fund balance to grow significantly as time goes on and additional registrations are captured.
For additional information on the Berks County Ordinance, the $5 fee revenue or how Berks County intends to utilize this funding, please review the following documents.
Questions regarding this program can be submitted to facilities@countyofberks.com.
Documents
PennDOT Engineering District 5-0
The County of Berks falls under the oversight of PennDOT's Engineering District 5-0, along with the Counties of Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton and Schuylkill. In addition to being responsible for all State-owned transportation assets in this geographical area, District 5-0 provides:
- Local guidance and partnership to Counties on matters involving transportation improvements
- Consultant project management and construction oversight for all local projects receiving State and Federal funds
- Local maintenance for State-owned transportation assets (headquartered in Temple, PA)
For further information regarding PennDOT District 5-0 personnel and activity, please visit any of the following links:
In addition, certain solicitations for professional services that relate to transportation projects will be available to PennDOT-registered Business Partners via PennDOT's Engineering and Construction Management System (ECMS). For information on ECMS, including how to register as a Business Partner or locate a County of Berks solicitation, please visit the following links:
PennDOT's Engineering and Construction Management System (ECMS)
PennDOT Business Partner Registration
PennDOT ECMS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
We thank you for your interest in partnering with the County of Berks and look forward to opportunities to partner with professional liaisons in order to accomplish the most efficient and effective outcomes possible.