Copyright Mechanicsburg Patriot News
The West Shore Historical Society on Tuesday marked the occasion of the lifting of the Sheepford Road Bridge from its abutments where it spans the Yellow Breeches Creek. Kinsley Construction used a crane to accomplish the feat, which went off without a hitch, according to historical society executive director Janice Lynx. The bridge will be disassembled, shipped off-site, repaired, painted, and returned to its original location in the spring of 2026, according to the organization. Kinsley Construction was awarded a $1.73 million contract to rehabilitate the bridge for pedestrian use. The Sheepford Road Bridge was built by the Phoenix Bridge Company and put in place by Dean & Westbrook in 1887. The 114-foot bridge at 2036 Sheepford Road crosses the Yellow Breeches Creek in Lower Allen and Fairview Townships, connecting Cumberland and York Counties. According to the historical society, the Sheepford Road Bridge is historically and technologically significant due to its type and design using patented Phoenix columns. The Phoenix Bridge Company was one of the nation’s most important developers of metal truss bridge technology in the last half of the 19th century. The bridge was added to the Cumberland County Register of Historic Places in Nov. 2020. The bridge is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places under Criteria C – (design/construction) for technological significance. The bridge was closed to traffic in January 2020 after inspectors determined that it was no longer safe for motor vehicles. The organization launched the “Save Our Bridge” campaign in an effort to preserve the historic metal truss bridge. In the spring of 2022, the bridge project was awarded a $1.4 million PennDOT Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside grant. PennDOT awarded the bridge project an additional $600,000 in funding. The Sheepford Road Bridge is owned by York and Cumberland counties. Upon completion of the rehabilitation project, ownership will be transferred to the West Shore Historical Society.
