There’s going to be a party in Greenfield this fall and yinz are all invited.
The Greenfield Community Association is hosting a Greenfield Bridge sendoff party Oct. 17, the day before it closes for a year-and-a-half replacement project.
City Councilman Corey O’Connor invites the city to show their support for the neighborhood by trying out nearby shops and restaurants.
“It’s going to be family-friendly supporting all of our local businesses," O'Connor said. "We’re going to have food from the neighborhood; we’re going to be selling things from the neighborhood, really to support the local businesses."
Joe Grushecky is scheduled to play a farewell concert for the bridge later that night, he said.
O’Connor said the project itself is on schedule. Contracts have been awarded and work is expected to begin Oct. 18. Full demolition should happen sometime between Christmas and New Year’s.
And one lucky attendee of the October party will get to do the honors.
“We’re actually raffling off a chance to push the explosion button when the bridge comes down,” O’Connor said. “So we’re doing all of this and all the proceeds go to the community (and) the business district to support them, because it’s going to be a difficult time to get customers there throughout this process.”
O’Connor said his office reached out to PennDOT and Port Authority to talk about lessening congestion due to detouring traffic. He's heard it before, he said, that construction “is going to be terrible.” O'Connor said he hopes the party will brighten people’s outlook overall.
“This is a tough time," he said. "Let’s band together. We’re all going to get through this as a neighborhood and as a city."
The new bridge is expected to open May 2017.
