The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is alerting area drivers to the start of bridge replacement work on Route 46 in Cameron County, about eight miles north of Emporium

The 17-foot bridge spans North Creek on Route 46 in Shippen Township.  It dates from 1931 and carries an average of almost 500 vehicles each day. Replacing the bridge will improve its rating from poor to good.

Starting today, crews will be working to mobilize equipment, install erosion and sediment controls, and begin construction of a two-lane, temporary roadway. During this first phase of work, drivers will encounter an alternating traffic pattern enforced by roadway flaggers. Drivers should expect short travel delays.

Once the temporary road is complete, traffic will use it to move through the work zone and work to replace the bridge will begin. Overall work includes removal of the existing Single Span Reinforced Concrete Slab bridge, construction of a new Precast Reinforced Concrete Box Culvert, approach work consisting of base, binder and wearing courses, guide rail updates, drainage, pavement markings, and miscellaneous items.

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. The plan includes protocols for social distancing, use of face coverings, personal and job site cleaning protocols, management of entries to the job site and relevant training.

The contractor on this $1 million job is Dean Construction, Inc. of Smethport, PA. Work will take place through early November and is weather and schedule dependent.

PennDOT reminds drivers to use caution in work zones, 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 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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