​Work will begin soon to rehabilitate the bridge that carries Orangeville Road over Towel Works Run in the City of Hermitage, Mercer County. 

Work on the bridge, which is located on Orangeville Road (Route 3019) between Route 718 and Buckeye Road near the Ohio state line, is expected to start August 10, 2020, weather permitting.  

The project will include the superstructure replacement, new abutment caps, approach roadway work and guiderail improvements.

A detour route will be posted using Buckeye Road and Route 718. It is expected to be in place for nine weeks. 

Motorists may also encounter lane restrictions with traffic controlled by flaggers and should be alert for traffic pattern shifts and lane restrictions.

The new bridge is expected to be opened by October 23, 2020.

The existing bridge was built in 1957. It is classified as poor condition and has a posted weight limit of 20 tons. Approximately 325 vehicles a day use the bridge, on average.

The contractor is JET Excavating Co. from New Middletown, Ohio. The contract cost is $457,582, which is to be paid entirely with state funds.

This project was made possible by Act 89, Pennsylvania’s transportation funding plan.

PennDOT urges motorists to slow down when driving in work zones, and also to be alert to changing conditions, avoid distractions and to pay attention to signs and flaggers. Drive responsibly in work zones for your safety and the safety of the workers.

Work on this project will be 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 jobsite, and relevant training.

For more information on projects occurring or being bid this year, those made possible by or accelerated by the state transportation funding plan (Act 89), or those on the department’s Four and Twelve Year Plans, visit www.projects.penndot.gov. 

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 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 Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties at www.penndot.gov/District1. 

Follow PennDOT’s northwest region on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAErie or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/northwestregionpenndot. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Jill Harry, 814-678-5035

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