KARTHAUS – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) started preservation work on a Route 879 bridge at the Clearfield/Centre County line on Monday, June 21. The bridge spans the West Branch of the Susquehanna River near Karthaus.
Work on this project will be done in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and state Department of Health guidance as well as a project-specific COVID-19 safety plan, which will include protocols for social distancing, use of face coverings, personal and job site cleaning protocols, management of entries to the job site and relevant training.
The contractor restricted traffic to a single lane on Monday. Temporary traffic signals are enforcing an alternating traffic pattern that sees drivers take turns crossing the bridge.
A width restriction of 9.5-feet is also in place. These restrictions will be in place for the duration of the project.
Overall work includes painting the underside of the existing truss, steel repairs to the overhead portals, removal and replacement of the epoxy overlay on the bridge deck, curb repairs, deck repairs and guide rail upgrades.
The bridge is 410-feet long and traveled by more than 1,000 vehicles per day.
PennDOT expects to complete work on this bridge by late October. It will fully open the bridge to traffic earlier if work progress allows. All work is weather and schedule dependent.
Francis J. Palo Inc. of Clarion is the contractor on this $1.1 million contract. PennDOT urges drivers to use caution in and around work zones, obey posted speed limits and always buckle up.
Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.
511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA Web site.
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