Motorists could experience some major traffic delays next week,
as crews working on the U.S. Route 219 Bradford bypass project
begin to erect bridges over Forman and Elm streets.

On Thursday, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation officials
said Elm Street will be closed to traffic near the bridge on
Tuesday as workers put a new concrete bridge deck in place.
Meanwhile, officials said 15-minute delays will also likely occur
on Thursday and Friday near the Forman Street bridge for the
placement of new steel girders for the bridge.

A short-term detour will be in effect for the Elm Street
project. Meanwhile, all Route 219 northbound vehicles in excess of
five tons must use the Kendall Avenue exit – not the Elm Street
exit. The requirement is in place due to a bridge on the detour
route which is posted for a five-ton weight limit.

Down the street on Forman, flaggers will be in place to control
traffic. Drivers are being encouraged to use alternate routes to
avoid delays.

Meanwhile, pile driving for the southbound bridge over Main
Street will continue, with the street restricted to one lane for
substructure work. Flaggers will also be in place at that location,
and motorists should expect traffic delays.

That corridor is buffered by Davis Street – one of the busiest
streets in downtown Bradford and the location for a number of
retail businesses.

Elsewhere in the construction zone, officials said crews will
continue paving the southbound lanes of the bypass between Elm
Street and Owens Way.

Excavation and drainage work will continue for the southbound
lanes in other locations.

Officials said Mill Street will remain closed in the vicinity of
the bridge for substructure construction. The street has been
closed for traffic near the bridge for several months.

The southbound exit at Forman Street will also be closed.
Southbound traffic can access downtown Bradford by following the
Route 346 West detour.

The work on the bypass will likely continue until at least
October, according to PennDOT Community Relations Coordinator Marla
Fannin.

Mascaro Construction Co. of Pittsburgh has been working on the
$55.4 million project for five months.

According to Fannin, the second phase of the bypass project – at
an estimated price tag of $49.4 million – was pushed back a year
from its original starting date. Fannin said the project is now
slated to be let out for bid in early December of 2008.

The second phase will feature work on the northbound lanes and
North Kendall Avenue.

Fannin said if everything goes as planned, the work would begin
in 2009.

The project was delayed, in part, due to a lack of discretionary
transportation funding.

Meanwhile, Fannin said PennDOT officials met with
representatives of the Bradford Area School District and its
transportation department regarding busing during the school
year.

Fannin said district officials expressed some minor concerns –
one of which was not closing two cross streets, such as Elm or Main
Street, off at the same time; PennDOT will be issuing the district
weekly press releases regarding upcoming work on the bypass a few
days ahead of time.

“At this point, we don’t have a set in stone feel for exactly
how winter is going to look, but we are committed to making sure
the school district is aware of what is happening,” Fannin
said.

Officials said the following ramps will be closed next week:
southbound off-ramp at Forman Street, along with all southbound on-
and off-ramps at Kendall and Seaward avenues. Detour signs will be
placed for all ramp closures.

The following ramps will remain open: all northbound and
southbound ramps at Owens Way; northbound off-ramp at Elm Street;
southbound on-ramp at Elm Street; northbound on-ramp at Forman
Street; northbound on and off-ramps at Kendall Avenue; and all
ramps at Bolivar Drive.

Traffic will be in this configuration until further notice. All
work is weather dependent.