Despite the “chaotic” nature of traffic on Monday, there were no
reports of accidents as vehicles were detoured around the U.S.
Route 219 Bradford bypass project.

Last week, officials with the Pennsylvania Department of
Transportation announced major traffic delays could be expected as
a result of contractors patching pot holes in both the northbound
and southbound lanes of the bypass during business hours.

The work is slated to last through Wednesday, weather
permitting. Traffic is being directed around the bypass on “blue”
and “red” routes from Bolivar Drive to Owens Way.

Bradford City Police Lt. Carl Milks, serving as acting chief,
credited the diligence of the Bradford Special Police in routing
traffic through the detours.

“It’s kinda chaotic,” Milks said. “Traffic is literally bumper
to bumper. The Specials are doing a tremendous job of keeping the
traffic flowing. If drivers were to just rely on the detour signs
alone, it would have never worked.”

Across town, traffic was slow-moving as tractor-trailers,
delivery trucks and passenger cars all converged on lesser-used
streets in an attempt to make it from one end of town to the other.
On Monday afternoon, tractor-trailers could be seen traversing
tight side streets, backing up traffic while trying to round
corners.

“One person I talked to today compared it to a convoy of trucks
going down East Main and up High Street,” Milks said

According to Milks, a couple of trucks “got away” from the
Special Police and “were lost downtown.”

“There wasn’t much we could do about that part of it,” Milks
said. “All in all, I expected a lot worse, but thanks to the
Specials everything seemed to work out.”

At the bypass on-ramp heading into Bradford off Bolivar Drive,
orange markers blocked traffic from entering the bypass and a
Kane-based state police cruiser was positioned there with its
lights flashing watching traffic.

Milks said the city hasn’t devoted any cars or extra manpower to
the detours, adding motorists should allow extra time for
traveling. The Special Police have been positioned at East Main
Street and South Kendall Avenue, High and East Main streets and
High and Elm streets, in addition to their duties at the local
schools.

Officials said the Specials will be in place from 8 a.m. to 3
p.m.

PennDOT officials said the patching process will include the
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. Other work will also continue on the
bypass during that period.

Meanwhile, PennDOT officials and state police and other agencies
have been working together to form a strategy to cope with the
winter months – especially snow removal – on the congested bypass,
where concrete Jersey barriers squeeze traffic into single
lanes.

Work on the two-year, $55.4 million project is being conducted
by Mascaro Construction Co. of Pittsburgh.