Cash-Strapped Township Puts Bridge Up For Sale to Public

The Pennsylvanian township of Upper Salford is auctioning off a 35-year-old wooden bridge to the highest bidder through an online forum, the latest creative solution for cash-strapped local governments seeking to clean up expensive local problems.

1 minute read

November 9, 2010, 2:00 PM PST

By Emily Laetz


Officials in Upper Salford Township, Pennsylvania didn't know how to fund the removal of a condemned old railroad trestle bridge, so they turned to a resource that thousands of people use nowadays to sell off unwanted items and possessions: the Internet. The rustic landmark, which has sat dormant due to doubts of its structural integrity, spans over 16 feet and has yet to receive any bids as of Monday evening. The auction is an attempt for the municipality to rid of a condemned piece of infrastructure through a creative strategy that does not burden its tax base. Township supervisors in Upper Salford are still hopeful that an interested bidder will pan out and the locality will not have to shoulder the associated demolition costs:

"Seeking to sell to anyone who will pay at least $100 and cover the cost of removal, they hope to devote any proceeds and the money saved on demolition fees toward construction of a new, more permanent concrete bridge."

"Supervisors Chairman Theodore F. Poatsy Jr. said that strapped by the township's financial limits, he and his colleagues were looking for creative solutions to deal with what had become a costly local problem."

Tuesday, November 9, 2010 in The Philadelphia Inquirer

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

2 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

Close-up on BLM sign on Continental Divide Trail in Rawlins, Wyoming.

BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule

The change will downgrade conservation, once again putting federal land at risk for mining and other extractive uses.

4 hours ago - Public Domain

Calvary Street bridge over freeway in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path

Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.

6 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive