A newly constructed bridge over the Swatara Creek will be named in honor of the late Sen. David J. Arnold Jr. if Gov. Josh Shapiro signs the bill.
Senate Bill 1144, which provides new designations for bridges and highways throughout Pennsylvania, was amended to include a provision by Sen. Chris Gebhard (R-48) to name the local bridge for Arnold.
The bill was approved by the state Senate on April 29 and approved by the House on July 2. The Senate on July 8 concurred with amendments added by the House.
The new bridge carries State Route 72 over Swatara Creek in Swatara Township. If signed by the governor, it will be designated as the Sen. David J. Arnold Jr. Memorial Bridge “in recognition of his years of public service to the commonwealth, Lebanon County and his local community,” according to a press release from Gebhard’s office.
“While he didn’t have the opportunity to serve as our state senator very long before he lost his life, Dave was the embodiment of a dedicated public servant,” Gebhard said in a statement. “For more than 15 years while serving as district attorney and senator, he was a leader in doing what’s right for his community. I hope everyone who uses the bridge is reminded of his commitment to helping others and his service to our community.”
Read More: State Senator Dave Arnold dies from brain cancer at age 49
Arnold was elected to the Senate in 2019 after serving as Lebanon County’s district attorney for 14 years. He was also a member of former Gov. Tom Corbett’s elder abuse task force and served as president of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association.
During his tenure in the state Senate, Arnold worked to advance causes protecting children in Pennsylvania, authoring legislation to increase penalties on those convicted of possession of child sexual abuse materials and establishing a task force to combat the crime. He also sponsored legislation to ensure that Lebanon County did not lose out on federal pandemic funding and championed the cause of restaurants and other small business employers impacted by statewide business closures.
Arnold was 49 years old when he died on Jan. 17, 2021, after a battle with brain cancer. He was a lifelong resident of Lebanon County.
“Ever since Senator Gebhard took office, he thought we needed to do something to honor Dave Arnold’s life of public service,” Alex Gamble, communications coordinator for Gebhard’s office, told LebTown in an email.
Gebhard’s office, in conjunction with PennDOT, plans to host a ceremony honoring Arnold’s life as a public servant once the bridge is completed this fall.
Read More: Route 72 bridge replacement begins
Work on the bridge began on April 22 and is expected to be completed by Nov. 20, according to a previous report.
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