Mifflintown, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that work to replace a bridge near Port Royal is set to begin tomorrow. The bridge spans Markee Creek on Route 3017 (Academia Road) in Beale Township, Juniata County, and replacing it will remove the structure from Juniata County’s list of bridges in poor condition.

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.

Starting tomorrow, the bridge will be closed and an official detour using Route 4004 (Cider Press Road), Route 35 and Route 3008 (Groninger Valley Road) will be implemented. It will remain in place for the duration of the project. Motorists familiar with the area may consider alternate routes.

The existing bridge was built in 1923, is 11-feet long and carries an average of 302 vehicles daily. It will be replaced with a precast reinforced concrete box culvert.

This project is a joint effort between PennDOT Juniata County Maintenance and Jay Fulkroad and Sons, Inc. of McAlisterville, PA. PennDOT will perform the excavation, install the erosion and sedimentation control measures, provide traffic control, demolish the existing culvert and complete backfilling once the new culvert is installed. The contractor will install the new culvert and complete approach paving, drainage improvements, guiderail installation, pavement marking and miscellaneous construction. The project cost is $185,500.

PennDOT anticipates completing the work by the end of July. All work is weather and schedule dependent.

PennDOT reminds drivers to use caution in work zones, follow official detour signs, obey posted speed limits, and always buckle up.

Motorists are encouraged to “Know Before They Go” by checking conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles 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 950 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 website.   Subscribe to PennDOT news in Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Juniata, McKean, Mifflin, and Potter counties at www.penndot.gov/District2.

For regional updates on Twitter, follow www.twitter.com/511PAStateCOLL

MEDIA CONTACT:  Timothy Nebgen (814) 360-3838

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