The project to replace the Cementon-Northampton Bridge, which carries Route 329 over the Lehigh River, has begun.

Steps are being taken on each side of the river to prepare for the construction, with trees being cleared out and stone pathways to the river being created.

The $21.7 million contract to build the bridge was awarded Feb. 24 to Richard E. Pierson Construction Company Inc. The project will be funded by the federal and state governments and is expected to be completed in December 2027.

Unlike the neighboring Coplay-Northampton Bridge, which was closed for two-and-a-half years while it was rebuilt, the Cementon-Northampton Bridge will not be closed during the construction of the new one.

A new bridge will be built just to the south, after which the roadway will be moved over and the old bridge will be removed.

The current bridge was built in 1933 by Whitaker and Diehl at a cost of $85,000 and is now outdated. The 575-foot-long, four-span structure has been determined to be insufficient to hold future traffic volume.

In addition to being the link between Whitehall’s village of Cementon and Northampton Borough, the bridge is also a river crossing point for the D&L Trail used by many for bike riding and walking. The bridge also carries multiple utilities across the river, including fiber optic data lines and a water main.

There are overhead high-voltage power lines that need to be taken into consideration during the replacement.

The iron bridge was sold by the state at auction for $1 Feb. 5, 2020. It is unclear what plans the buyer has for it.

Two houses on the Northampton side and the blue commercial building on the Cementon side will also be removed.

The new concrete bridge will include two lanes of traffic and a 10-foot-wide sidewalk to accommodate pedestrians and the D&L Trail crossing. It will also include an unfinished terrace under the bridge on the Cementon side. If the walking trail gets extended from Coplay to Cementon, it will be used to allow walkers to avoid crossing Route 329.