Possible Closure of Jugtown Bridge Concerns Residents

Residents of the neighborhood near the Jugtown Bridge between East Freedom and Claysburg, have growing concerns over the future of the structure as county officials decide its fate.

Bridge 73, which spans over the Beaver Dam Creek, connects Everett and Mountain Roads with about 40 residents living across the bridge.

Debra Miller, a resident, said the community has unanimously agreed that they need a new bridge.

The addition of a cul-de-sac would cut off their access to Everett Road and Dunnings Highway, which would make Mountain Road the only other way out.

"Without the bridge there, it would take about two miles to get to the nearest highway," she said.

Miller said there are about 10 people traveling toward Claysburg for work each day, and about 30 others traveling there to visit businesses in town.

Without the bridge, residents would have to travel on Mountain Road in the opposite direction before they could turn onto Freedom Street and then Dunnings Highway to get to Claysburg.

She said it takes about eight minutes when the weather is good.

"It might seem like a small inconvenience, but for us that road is where the problems come in," Miller said, describing it as very twisty and windy.

Some variables she said make the road unsafe to use include several deer crossings, open ditches on both sides, sharp unmarked turns, blind hills, no sign for hidden driveways or entrances for game lands, no pavement markers, and it can be very dark.

During rain storms, the ditches overflow on the road like a small river and bring debris onto the road.

She said garbage trucks back up toward the turn to get garbage with very little room to pass it.

If a car breaks down, there are no places to get off the road safely out of traffic.

Miller said the road currently has weight restrictions, limiting access for trucks with full loads.

Residents unanimously support the need for a new two-lane bridge to enhance safety to accommodate emergency vehicles more effectively.

The condition of Mountain Road would also make it difficult for ambulances and firetrucks to use in the event of an emergency.

Miller said the addition of the cul-de-sac would cause some financial strain for the residents as well.

"Adding the cul-de-sac would create a dead end, which means our fire insurance will go up," she said.

Some residents have already taken measures to maintain Mountain Road, by attaching plows to trucks and removing snow to prevent it from getting too icy.

Miller said she has not heard much from the Blair County commissioners about what might be done, and fears that the county might choose the cheapest options without considering the impact on the residents.

"We feel like no one cares," she said.

Miller said that not all the residents received information about the meeting in Freedom Township Fire Hall on Oct. 30, with the county commissioners and Keller Engineers raising questions about transparency in the decision-making process.

At the meeting, the discussion was aimed at presenting the options for either a new bridge or cul-de-sac along with the associated costs.

Building a new two-lane bridge would cost more than $3 million total, and replacing it with a cul-de-sac, would cost about $73,000 total.

Miller said residents at the meeting expressed a clear preference for the new bridge.

The old one-lane Jugtown Bridge, dating back to 1954, connects Everett Road and Mountain Road.

It is a crucial line for over 40 families living across the bridge to McKee.

The aging metal bridge, repurposed from the Sharpsburg area, now requires replacement due to its deteriorating condition.

Brian Haney, another resident, shared Miller concerns about Mountain Road being the community's only way out of the neighborhood if there was no bridge.

"As the name implies, it runs alongside a mountain," he said.

Haney said there have been times in the winter when trees have fallen on it, and this past winter it was closed three different times.

Both residents stressed the impact on the elderly and the potential life-saving role the bridge could play in emergencies.

Miller said one resident had to help an ambulance get back to a home when the bridge was closed this summer for weeks.

"When every second counts, the bridge could save someone's life," she said.

No decision until 2024

Amy Webster, the liaison commissioner for highways and bridges, clarified that the steel construction bridge is county-owned and has been maintained through routine repairs.

"Due to the condition of the bridge, the current board of commissioners has been considering options for how to proceed," she said.

Webster said they were provided with two options: replace the bridge with a new structure or add a cul-de-sac.

The commissioners have held two meetings to date to obtain input and thoughts of people in the area, she said.

One meeting was with public officials - supervisors, representatives of state officials.

The other meeting was a public meeting for everyone who was interested in looking at the possible options and to ask questions.

"The commissioners are looking at the comparative costs and the issues and questions raised by the citizens and the public officials," Webster said.

She said they are gathering all the information and will be analyzing it in 2024.

No decisions have been made yet, Webster said, and will be made by the new board.

Moonshiner moniker?

Miller said the older residents who are now deceased have said how the Jugtown Bridge got its name.

She has heard two versions.

One is that during prohibition the bootleggers and moonshiners hid their jugs under the bridge.

Another version is a big flood happened on the river and moonshiners who had their jugs cooling in the river all washed downstream to the bridge where they got stuck.