Construction on access bridge to Dorothy Rider Pool Wildlife Sanctuary that had collapsed to begin by late August, Wildlands Conservancy says | Western Lehigh County

L. MACUNGIE TWP., Pa. – Construction is set to begin by early August on the access bridge to the Dorothy Rider Pool Sanctuary, the Wildlands Conservancy said.

A propane truck that was on the bridge caused it to collapse in April 2025.

Bridge construction is expected to begin by early August and anticipated to take place through September, the Wildlands Conservancy said in a Facebook post.

The conservancy said the sanctuary will remain closed to the public during bridge construction.

The conservancy said it arranged construction to start on its property, instead of along Orchid Place. This will avoid needing to close Orchid Place for the full duration of construction, according to the Facebook post.

At some point, the conservancy said construction will require Orchid Place to be closed to non-local traffic.

Non-local drivers and pedestrians must avoid the area at this time, and directional signage to alert motorists will be posted by Lower Macungie Township and the Borough of Emmaus, the conservancy said.

The propane truck that was on a bridge in Lower Macungie Township when it collapsed was over the bridge’s weight limit, Pennsylvania State Police said.

State Police Trooper Nathan Branosky said the truck with the fuel was weighing around 27,000 pounds when it crossed the bridge. The weight limit was posted as 10,000 pounds, according to Branosky.