Motorists traveling in and around Bradford via the U.S. Route
219 bypass project should expect major traffic delays next
week.

According to officials with the Pennsylvania Department of
Transportation, contractors will be patching pot holes in both the
northbound and southbound lanes of Route 219 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Monday through Wednesday.

The patching process will include closure of the Foster Brook
exit while work is in progress in the southbound lane, and closure
of the Owens Way exit when work switches to the other side,
according to a press release from PennDOT. Traffic will follow two
different detour routes – a red and blue – during the process.

“Basically what will happen,” PennDOT Community Relations
Coordinator Marla Fannin told The Era Thursday, “is that on an
average day, 55,000 vehicles travel on the bypass. A large amount
of traffic that normally travels on a major route will now be on
more local routes.”

Lt. Linda Close with the Bradford City Police said the Bradford
Special Police have been called in to help direct traffic in
downtown Bradford, which will see much more traffic than normal due
to the detour.

Chief Lloyd Huntoon of the Bradford Special Police told The Era
Thursday he will have two officers posted at East Main Street and
South Kendall Avenue, two at High and East Main streets and one at
High and Elm streets.

The Special Police will direct traffic from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Huntoon said that not only will the special police be working
much longer than normal, they will also direct traffic at the
schools as usual.

Huntoon’s advice to motorists traveling the detour is: “Take
your time and don’t get excited. Traffic is going to be slow, but
be patient and we’ll get you through as fast as we can.”

He added that motorists should pay attention to the Special
Police’s directions, even if they seem to contradict traffic
signals or lights.

Pot hole patching will begin on the southbound lane; Route 219
southbound will be closed at the Foster Brook exit, according to
PennDOT. During this process, traffic will follow the “blue detour
route.”

Traffic will have to exit at Foster Brook, turn left onto
Bolivar Drive, turn right onto East Main Street, turn left onto
High Street, turn right onto Owens Way and then left onto the Route
219 southbound ramp.

After work in the southbound lane is complete, it will be
re-opened to traffic and the northbound lane will be closed at the
Owens Way exit.

Northbound traffic will follow the “red detour route.” Traffic
will exit at Owens Way, turn right onto Owens Way, turn left onto
High Street, turn right onto east Main Street, turn left onto
Bolivar Drive and then right onto the Route 219 northbound
ramp.

Fannin suggested motorists using the bypass give themselves an
extra 20-minute cushion when traveling, maybe more.

All work is weather and schedule dependent.

Other facets of the bypass project will continue next week, as
well.

Mill Street will remain closed in the vicinity of the bridge.
Drainage work will continue within the project area on the old
southbound lanes. Excavation and grading will continue for the
southbound lanes of Route 219. The Route 219 southbound exit at
Forman Street will be closed. Southbound traffic can access
downtown Bradford businesses by following the Route 346 West
detour. Paving of the southbound lanes between Mill Street and
Owens Way will continue.

Meanwhile, Route 219 southbound traffic should watch for
slow-moving vehicles in the vicinity of the Forman and Main streets
bridges. Construction vehicles will enter and exit the work area at
those locations, according to PennDOT. Motorists are also advised,
however, to watch for slow-moving vehicles through the entire work
zone.

The southbound off-ramp at Forman Street and all southbound on
and off-ramps at Kendall/Seaward avenues will be closed. Detour
signs will be in place for all ramp closures.

All northbound and southbound ramps at Owens Way, the northbound
off-ramp at Elm Street, the southbound on-ramp at Elm Street, the
northbound on-ramp at Forman Street, the northbound on and
off-ramps at Kendall Avenue, and all ramps at Bolivar Drive will
remain open.

Mascaro Contracting out of Pittsburgh is the main contractor for
the 2-year, $55.4 million project.