Mifflintown, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that work to replace a bridge near Port Royal is set to begin Wednesday, July 29. The bridge spans Markee Creek on Route 35 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 July 29, PennDOT will close the bridge and implement an official 19-mile detour. Traffic will follow Route 3008 (Groninger Valley Road), Route 75, and Route 333 to reconnect with Route 35. The detour will remain in place for the duration of the project. Motorists familiar with the area may consider alternate routes.

The existing concrete slab bridge was built in 1930, is 10-feet long and carries an average of more than 1,000 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 Kevin E. Raker Construction, LLC of Sunbury, PA. PennDOT will implement the detour, demolish the existing bridge and complete backfilling once the new culvert is installed. The contractor will install the new culvert, complete approach paving and shoulder widening. The project cost is $258,000 and is expected to be complete by mid-August. 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 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 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:  Marla Fannin (814) 360-3013, Timothy Nebgen (814) 360-3838

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