The new Cementon-Northampton Bridge, which carries state Route 329 over the Lehigh River, is starting to look like a bridge.

During the week of Jan. 6, the concrete beams were delivered and placed on the structure for the first section on the Northampton side.

In the last 20 months, crews have been busy preparing a working area in the river, moving power lines, removing two houses, building the two concrete abutments and erecting a pier in the river. They are currently working on the second of three piers.

According to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesperson Ronald Young, the new bridge is expected to be open to traffic in early 2027. The project is on budget at just more than $22 million and will be completed in April 2028, including the demolition and removal of the current bridge.

The existing bridge was built in 1933 by Whitaker and Diehl at a cost of $85,000 and is now outdated.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.

The new bridge will include two lanes of traffic and a 10-foot-wide sidewalk to accommodate pedestrians and a 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 up to Cementon, it will be used to allow walkers to avoid crossing Route 329.