The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will resume its multi-year rehabilitation project on the Route 59 bridge over Kinzua Creek on the Allegheny Reservoir in Mead Township on March 24.

The project is supposed to finish this fall.

The rehabilitation efforts encompass several critical components to enhance the bridge’s structural integrity and safety. Concrete and steel structural repairs will be conducted to address wear and ensure the bridge’s longevity. Targeted painting will be performed to protect the bridge’s steel components from corrosion while installation of navigational lighting will improve safety for watercraft navigating beneath the bridge.

One lane on the bridge will remain closed throughout the project’s duration. Traffic will be managed using temporary signals at each end of the bridge to maintain a steady flow. Two 48-hour detours are planned post-Labor Day to facilitate specific construction activities. During these periods, traffic will be redirected using Route 6 and Route 321 (Kane-Marshburg Road). Advance notice of these detours will be provided through on-site message boards and PennDOT announcements.

Given the bridge’s location over Kinzua Creek, measures have been coordinated with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission to ensure the safety of boating traffic. Temporary signs will be posted along the channel to guide boaters safely through the construction zone.

Constructed in 1962, the steel truss bridge spans 1,812 feet and accommodates an average of 1,000 vehicles daily. Prior assessments have rated the bridge in fair condition, underscoring the necessity of the current rehabilitation efforts.

The rehabilitation project is financed entirely with federal funds, amounting to a contract cost of $6,082,432. L.C. Whitford Company Inc., based in Wellsville, N.Y., serves as the primary contractor overseeing the construction activities.

“Drivers are urged to exercise caution, remain alert to changing conditions, avoid distractions, and adhere to posted signage and flagger instructions within work zones.” PennDot said in a news release.

Real-time traffic conditions and updates on major roadways, including those affected by this project, are accessible through PennDOT’s 511PA platform. The service offers traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. For more detailed information and ongoing updates about this project and other infrastructure initiatives in the northwest region, visit PennDOT’s official website at www.penndot.pa.gov/District1.

PennDOT crews have also been out in warmer temperatures this week repairing potholes across more than 3,600 miles of state-owned roads in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties.

The recent harsh winter, characterized by wet conditions and rapid temperature fluctuations, has led to an increase in potholes throughout the region. These potholes typically form during winter due to freeze-thaw cycles, where water seeps into pavement cracks, freezes, expands, and eventually causes the pavement to break apart under vehicle pressure.

Repair crews, who also operate plow trucks during winter, are out between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Drivers may encounter lane restrictions managed by flaggers and are advised to exercise caution in work zones.