The traffic congestion in Bradford should ease up the next few
days as construction on the U.S. Route 219 bypass takes a
holiday.
Crews from Mascaro Contracting, the contractor for the project,
are off until Tuesday, officials at the Pennsylvania Department of
Transportation said.
“That will make things easier,” Acting City Police Chief Lt.
Carl Milks said Wednesday afternoon. Traffic will “not be detoured
down any city street.”
This relief in traffic flow will undoubtedly make police and
motorists alike happy.
“All through the detour route on East Main was bumper to
bumper,” Milks said. “There were a lot of big trucks. (That’s) part
of (what) we have to deal with.”
Milks said the special police helped the situation by directing
traffic at intersections.
They were “waving people through regardless of the lights …
keeping traffic flowing so it does not get backed up further than
what it is,” Milks said. “They’ve done an excellent job keeping
things moving for us.”
The detours were put into place so crews could resurface parts
of the bypass. This caused increased traffic in the detour areas,
including High Street, East Main Street, Bolivar Drive and Owens
Way.
Without the special police, things could have been worse, Milks
said.
“Otherwise, traffic would be backed up clear to Ridgway,” he
said jokingly. “The worst is over.” Now, officials are directing
their attentions on to how to deal with the construction areas in
the winter months.
PennDOT Community Relations Coordinator Marla Fannin said
PennDOT will issue a special project update, which will detail the
work zone set-up over the winter months. She was not certain when
that update would come.
In the meantime, any inclement weather will be handled.
“It shouldn’t pose a particular problem,” Fannin said, adding
maintenance personnel keep aware of the weather and will go out if
warranted.
“Our maintenance folks watch the weather predictions and plan
appropriately.”
Officials also gave a run down of what to expect next week for
the $55.4 million, two-year project.
Mill Street will remained closed in the vicinity of the bridge
and drainage work will continue within the project area.
Excavation and grading will continue in the southbound lanes of
Route 219 and the southbound exit at Forman Street is closed.
Southbound traffic can reach downtown Bradford by following the
Route 346 west detour.
Route 219 southbound traffic should watch for slow moving
vehicles in the vicinity of the Forman Street and Main Street
bridges. Construction vehicles will be entering and exiting the
work area at these locations.
Motorists are advised to watch for slow moving and stopped
vehicles through the entire work zone.
The following ramps will be closed: southbound off ramp at
Forman Street; all southbound on and off ramps at Kendall/Seaward
Avenue. Detour signs will be in place 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.
All work is dependent on the weather.
