Construction on a Route 346 (Derrick Road) bridge, spanning Foster Brook in Foster Township, is scheduled to begin soon as part of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Rapid Bridge Replacement Project.

Replacement of the bridge, located about three miles east of Bradford, will allow PennDOT to remove it from McKean County’s structurally deficient bridge list.

PennDOT officials said construction is expected to start during the week of March 13 and be completed by mid-August. During this time, traffic will be controlled by temporary traffic signals that enforce an alternating lane pattern.

In the event of unfavorable weather or unforeseen activities, the schedule may change.

PennDOT officials said the bridge is referred to as JV-65 and is one out of 558 bridges being replaced under the Rapid Bridge Replacement Project. JV references the joint-venture partnership between Walsh/Granite, which is leading construction for the entire project.

The Rapid Bridge Replacement Project is a public-private partnership between PennDOT and Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners, under which Plenary Walsh will finance, design, replace and maintain the bridges for 25 years.

Additional information on the project, the team, and how to bid on the project can be found at the website www.parapidbridges.com.