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December 9, 2025
Bishop Road Bridge has been saved for an extended period of time
Per a letter received today from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; Cumberland County does not have a valid permit to proceed with its planned demolition.
There is apparently a separate process that will need to be followed for a site “identified in the latest published version of the Pennsylvania Inventory of Historical Places” and this could require an extended period of time.
This will allow the new Upper Allen Township Board of Commissioners and the Cumberland and York County Commissioners time to rationally re-evaluate their respective positions.
Our heartfelt thanks to the folks at the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission (PHMC) and DEP for recognizing the significance of Bishop Road Bridge and helping to assure that the law is followed and the public interest protected.
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December 8, 2025
Bishop Bridge Again Slated for Demolition – But its not Over !
The Cumberland County Commissioners voted 2-1 Thursday against authorizing their Solicitor to prepare documents necessary for Upper Allen Township to accept ownership of Bishop Bridge on January 5, 2026.
Instead, the County intends to award the bid to demolish the bridge at its next meeting on December 18, 2025.
The Carlisle Sentinel published a detailed story of the meeting this morning:
Eric Fairchild, Phil Walsh, and Karen Smith attended the Thursday meeting and affirmed their intent for Upper Allen to take ownership. Fairchild said “This is a treasured asset of many in our community. We are here today in good faith. Our intent is to follow through.”
What could have been a simple matter of instructing the County Solicitor – turned into many questions about what Upper Allen would do with the bridge, how it would be paid for, etc. This despite the County having received a full packet of information at our meeting with Mr. Stoner on November 21.
What should have been a variation of the old joke, “I have a bridge to sell you”, didn’t apply. We note Cumberland County transferred ownership of the Craighead Bridge several years ago for $1.00 using a simple 4 page agreement.
How did this happen? Basically, outgoing Upper Allen Commissioner Jim Cochran orchestrated a Facebook campaign to flood the County Commissioners with emails. His Cochran for Upper Allen page shows people opining about the bridge – some without even knowing where it is – and the County Commissioners responding.
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Others in the Cochran network are celebrating the destruction of Bishop Bridge. Here is UAT Park & Rec. Board member and recent Commissioner candidate Jason Saposnek:
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For those who like to read between the lines; we suggest there is more going on here than a few folks trying to save an old bridge vs. a few folks trying to save taxpayer money.
For all the talk about money; we suggest the real money at stake here is for the future development of the Bishop Road peninsula – and the historic Bishop Road Bridge stands in the way of this. Thus, the determined effort by some politically well connected folks to see it gone ASAP.
Those with long memories might remember “Grantham Woods”. Here is a clipping from the October 19, 1990 Patriot News:
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Is it over? Was it over “when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?”
In the famous words of John Belushi, It Ain’t Over!
https://youtu.be/tG25f13s2JA?si=oDWVYz9sR8LspMOm
The Cumberland County Commissioners have stated their intent to award the demolition bid at their next meeting on December 18th. This gives thoughtful and informed people time to reach out to each Commissioner personally at:
Kelly Neiderer, Chairman kkneiderer@cumberlandcountypa.gov
Jean Foschi, Vice Chairman jmfoschi@cumberlandcountypa.gov
Gary Eichelberger,Secretary gleichelberger@cumberlandcountypa.gov
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The York County Commissioners are an equal parties to this and their next meeting is on December 17th.
Julie Wheeler, President JLWheeler@yorkcountypa.gov
Scott Burford, Vice President sburford@yorkcountypa.gov
Doug Hoke, Commissioner DHoke@yorkcountypa.gov
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Here are some possible questions that could be asked of each County Commissioner:
Have you personally walked the emergency access road / trail from Messiah University to Bishop Road and inspected the bridge?
Do you not see that Bishop Bridge provides a way for the public to continue accessing the (beautiful!) Bishop Road area vs. closing it off for the benefit of a few private property owners.
It is clear that only a few property owners on Bishop Road will benefit by demolishing the bridge and removing the roadway. Where is the public good in this?
Why hasn’t a Board of View been convened to determine the public good?
Why the hurry to demolish a beautiful National Register (NR) eligible bridge that has stood for 127 years and is in no danger of imminent collapse?
Why are you in favor of proceeding with demolition when a majority of Upper Allen Township Commissioners are now in favor of accepting ownership?
Why not give the new Upper Allen Board one last time to act and then re-bid the project if they fail to do so?
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December 2, 2025
Upper Allen Township poised to save the historic 1898 Bishop Bridge.
Upper Allen Commissioners Eric Fairchild and Phil Walsh have been working with Commissioner-elect Karen Overly Smith since the November 4th election to further evaluate the historic Bishop Bridge and how best to rehabilitate and utilize it going forward.
Karen has toured the bridge several times and will vote with Eric and Phil at the January 5, 2026 Upper Allen Commissioners meeting to assume ownership of the bridge from Cumberland and York County.
In our opinion, the best course of action is to rehabilitate the bridge for limited vehicular use and to seek the cooperation of Messiah University in allowing the public to utilize the County built emergency access road as a walking trail connection to the stunningly beautiful Bishop Road area and bridge.
We believe the bridge can be fully rehabilitated using historic methods that will save time, money and lessen the environmental impact. It will also serve as a demonstration project for students and engineers interested in historic preservation of other metal truss bridges. There are only about 200 National Register eligible metal truss bridges still standing in Pennsylvania including Bishop.
The project is expected to cost $1.1 million and can be funded through County, State and Township funding streams. Taxpayers should realize they are already paying toward bridge projects when they renew their vehicle registration and/or put gas in their tank.
Special thanks to Cumberland and York County for their continued patience and understanding regarding changes in Upper Allen’s Board of Commissioners.
While the bridge has come perilously close to demolition through a recent bid solicitation; we believe the Cumberland County planning department, lead by Kirk Stoner, has developed a fair and appropriate timeline which allows Upper Allen one last opportunity to take prompt and definitive action.
Bishop Bridge will be on the Upper Allen Board of Commissioners Agenda for December 3, 2025 and on the Cumberland County Commissioners Agenda for December 4, 2025.
Those wishing to make written public comment may best do so through the Upper Allen Board Secretary, Alexis Minana, at aminana@uatwp.org
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September 14, 2025
Seth Kaplan and ABC 27 News have done a story on Bishop Bridge which can be found here. There are beautiful views of the bridge and its setting. Many people care about this bridge:
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Bishop Bridge is on the September 17, 2025 Commissioners meeting as Item 4a.
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Cumberland and York County are apparently accelerating their plan to demolish Bishop Bridge per a meeting at the bridge on September 4th. Cumberland County had previously told the Carlisle Sentinel on July 11 that the “Bridge could be demolished in early spring, 2026”; however, it is now “planning to bid the demolition within the next month and award by the end of October 2025 with demolition in early 2026.”
There appears to be a push by some to get the bridge demolished before a new BOC could possibly revisit the issue in January, 2026. The bridge has stood for 127 years. One has to wonder: Why the rush?
There is a need for having a turnaround at the emergency access road; however, there was/is confusion about what is to occur at the bridge. The bridge is 900+ ft. from the access road. There was talk of a 2nd turnaround at the bridge, signage, removing UAT built roadway, and whether the public will have continued access to the Yellow Breeches.
UAT residents will no longer have access to the creek based on what was discussed. It also appears Monaghan Township will eliminate creek access from its side as well. This is contrary to a DCNR 10-Minute Walk Access to Trails Map which shows “High Need” (in Red) for access in the Bishop Road area.
There is also the issue of what right the public has to use the $360,000 County built emergency access road across Messiah University property? This road is gated and presently marked “No Trespassing” and “Notice, Authorized Personnel Only” at the Messiah parking lot side and “Private Property, Emergency Vehicle Access Only” at the Bishop Road side.
It is becoming clearer that there are additional costs and ramifications to demolishing the bridge. The County will spend $400,000+ to demolish and construct turnarounds. Should UAT take ownership; the County has offered $275,000 of its demolition funding plus another (possible) $200,000 through its small bridge program.
UAT has an RFP to rehabilitate the bridge (vehicular use) for $1,050,000 that is supported by a Penn DOT / McCormick Taylor (Engineers) memo. The $600,000+- Upper Allen would spend over the cost of demolition is already budgeted and funded. Maintaining bridges is part of what liquid fuel tax monies can be used for. Page 3 of the 2025 UAT budget shows the township receiving $670,000 per year through this source.
Those who don’t know what Bishop Road and Bishop Bridge offer should drive out and take a look for themselves. You will be not be disappointed. For purposes of GPS directions, 104 Bishop Road is last home on the Upper Allen side.
Demolishing the historic bridge will close off creek access and primarily benefit a 1/2 dozen private property owners on Bishop Rd.
Rehabilitating the bridge will benefit 24,000+ UAT residents by maintaining access to this stunningly beautiful area of the Township.
For more info., visit the saverupperallen.com homepage or the petition at:
https://www.change.org/p/save-the-1898-bishop-road-bridge
Residents would do well to make email / public comment to aminana@uatwp.org or come to BOC meeting on Wednesday as to whether continued road, creek or bridge access matters to you. When it’s gone, it’s gone.
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Here is the above noted PennDOT / McCormick Taylor memo.
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Saving Bishop Bridge is about more than just preservation
Guest Editorial (PennLive), Published July 6, 2025
By Martha Judy Bailey
I am speaking about what historic preservation truly means in our community-because right now, that value is being tested.
The Upper Allen Board of Commissioner voted not to accept ownership of the wrought iron Bishop Bridge. Cumberland County will retain ownership and they plan to demolish it.
The Bishop Bridge may sit at the edge of our township, shared with Monaghan, but it’s at the center of a much larger question: Do we value the historic, scenic, and functional infrastructure that helps define this place? Are we going to allow another structure to disappear?
Maintained by Cumberland County, the bridge was closed in 2019 due to safety concerns. Analysts tinkered with the numbers saying it was not used by many people, required patchy upgrades. The county offered it to the township— effectively offloading costs and responsibility. Since then, it has remained closed and neglected.
In the meantime, an emergency access road costing $360,000 was built across private property nearby on Messiah University to patch the gap. Another bridge nearby was replaced. But this bridge— the actual solution-was ignored.
Now we’re being told we can’t spend the $900,000 already budgeted to repair it. Yet we’re spending nearly that much on HVAC maintenance-and more than $500,000 on stormwater issues that have existed for half a century and could arguably wait one more year.
I’ll be honest-the current project proposal to rebuild the bridge had flaws. The presentation to the board was not stellar, and some uncertainties remain. The board did offer to delay a vote to allow the preservation plan to evolve and it did not.
The county allowed time, too. But with more effort-and perhaps an additional contractor and some public outcry and fundraisers-those concerns could be addressed.
The township is just not hearing from residents that they value historic preservation. Instead, it seemed as though all the work was placed on township Commissioner Fairchild, while township staff and some commissioners assumed the role of judge rather than collaborator.
It’s true, there was no public outcry for preservation; who knew? Yes there are other priorities but are there really? I heard the cry for open spaces and historic preservation during my campaign, now this access to the creek is being taken from citizens.
If we don’t act now, the bridge will not just remain closed —it will be lost forever, a missing structure on the horizon. If we ever do want to replace it? That will cost more than $2 million.
Take a drive out there. What you’ll see is confusing and illogical: two roads that used to connect … and now don’t. It’s like reaching the middle of a tunnel and finding a wall. The neighboring land owners won’t be bothered with traffic and laughter from the bridge, just the turning around of cars reaching the dead end.
“And then, quietly, the old bridge. Tired, steadfast, standing watch through the night. Her fate was debated by those angry at the cost of her new clothes. The view from her grated metal deck, the breeze, The murmur of cool water beneath-none of it mattered. They felt powerful, stomping out her worth, Declaring they didn’t need her. They had spoken. She was done. But when morning comes, and truth returns like a tide, They’ll realize they need her more than ever. For she holds no bitterness. No fear. Only grace, serenity, and a playful spirit.”
We are better planners than this. We are better stewards than this. The bridge offers us more than this. What will happen when the McCormick bridge needs replacement?
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Here is link for Ms. Bailey’s facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575046711493
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Earlier posts on Bishop Bridge can be found on our home page
Save Upper Allen 