Smethport, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is alerting motorists that a bridge replacement project along Route 146 in McKean County will start Monday, May 17. The project will replace a bridge spanning Red Mill Brook approximately three miles east of Clermont in Norwich Township, which will allow PennDOT to remove it from their list of McKean County 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 Monday, the contractor will close the bridge and implement an approximately 27-mile detour using Route 46 and Route 6. 

The bridge was built in 1934. It is 28-feet long and carries an average of fewer than 150 vehicles daily. 

The overall project consists of replacing the bridge, approach paving, guide rail installation, pavement marking and miscellaneous construction. PennDOT expects to complete the project in early October. All work is weather and schedule dependent. 

Shingledecker's Welding Inc. of Franklin PA is the contractor on this $870,000 project. PennDOT reminds motorists to move through work zones with caution, 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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