Summer is a time for swimming in pools and streams, traveling to state parks, museums and other attractions –– and being stuck in road construction across the region.
Across McKean, Cameron, Elk and Potter counties, drivers will face more than $50 million in infrastructure and superstructure projects, everything from road resurfacing to bridge replacements.
McKean County will see about six major projects worth $17 million.
A box culvert replacement over Blacksmith Run on Route 59 will stretch into the fall at a cost of $1 million. Also a bridge will be replaced over Blacksmith Run, amounting to $1.6 million, and this month’s plans include bridge deck paving with flagging.
Through the summer a full-depth reclamation will take place on Route 46 north to U.S. Route 6, amounting to $5 million.
Road work will also occur through the fall along Route 6 in the Kane Borough at a cost of $5 million. The project stretches from Easton Street to the intersection of routes 6 and 321.
Work includes roadway restoration, drainage improvements, signal upgrades, water line relocation, pavement markings and miscellaneous construction.
“This road work is being done in phases, with initial work requiring alternating traffic patterns enforced by flaggers in the roadway,” PennDOT officials said. “Drivers should expect delays as work takes place.”
PennDOT officials say that the work is expected to be finished by the end of the year.
Six roads in the Bradford area will be resurfaced –– Interstate Parkway, Sullivan Road, High Street, Owens Way, South Avenue and West Corydon Street –– with a $2.3 million price tag. There’ll be roadway flagging, and drivers should expect delays.
Also in the county, the Eastern Federal Lands roadway betterment project will take place from the Elk County line toward Kane at a cost of $2 million. Funds are coming from $1.24 million in federal forest land and $760,000 state and federal.
“Maintenance crews will be starting on a box culvert replacement in Ceres Township. Road will be closed and a detour will be in effect,” said Marla Fannin, PennDOT spokeswoman.
The detour will be for six weeks via Kings Run Road, Taylor Brook Drive, Bells Run Road, and Route 44.
“Replacing this state-owned bridge will remove it from McKean County’s structurally deficient list and eliminate the weight limit postings of 32 and 40 tons,” PennDOT officials said. “The 30-foot bridge spans Kings Run, near the village of Ceres. It was built in 1939 and carries an average of 325 vehicles each day.”
McKean County maintenance forces will handle the replacement work, slated through July 16.
In late July, maintenance will close Big Shanty Road in Lafayette Township to replace a box culvert. Work will take two to three weeks, and a detour will be in place, Fannin said.
In Cameron County, two major projects worth $10.5 million are on the agenda for this summer.
Re-surfacing on Route 155 will take place from Emporium to the Potter County line with box culvert replacement, superstructure replacement on Salt Run and preservation of three bridges. The work will cost $8.8 million and continue through October.
“Through November, project work will focus on drainage improvements and drivers should expect daytime lane restrictions and alternating traffic patterns controlled by flaggers in the roadway,” PennDOT officials said.
Elsewhere in Cameron County, an 84-foot bridge dating back to 1972 will be replaced along Route 3001 over West Creek in Shippen Township, at a cost of $1.7 million.
“Replacing the bridge will allow PennDOT to remove it from Cameron County’s structurally deficient bridge list,” PennDOT officials said. “Replacement will also eliminate current weight limit postings of 11 ton for single vehicles, 15 ton for combination vehicles, and the restriction of ‘one truck at a time.’”
The steel-grate bridge will be replaced with a concrete structure through half-width construction. Work also includes drainage improvements, roadway widening, paving and guide-rail updates. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of August.
Maintenance crews will mill, fill and sealcoat Route 872 from Potter County line south for eight miles, Fannin said.
For Elk County, there are three major projects worth $10.64 million.
Roadway improvements are on the menu for sections of Route 255, U.S. Route 219 and Route 2001 (Rattlesnake Road in the Brockway area) for a total of 10.6 miles, amounting to $1.8 million.
A bridge will be replaced over over Silver Run in the city of St Marys, a $1.6 million project scheduled to be bid in August of 2018; the work will involve a detour.
Also, a bridge will be preserved over Alyworth Run in Ridgway Township, at a cost of $700,000. The project is slated to be bid in August.
“Maintenance crews will perform sealcoating in the St, Marys area this summer,” Fannin said. “Traffic control will be daylight flagging. In late June, they will also perform sealcoating on Route 321 from Wilcox to the McKean County line. Traffic control will be daylight flagging.”
Meanwhile, Potter County will see three major projects totalling $12 million.
Along Route 44, highway restoration will occur from Coneville to Shinglehouse, totalling $9.1 million.
“The 187-foot bridge spans Oswayo Creek in the village of Millport. The bridge carries an average of 1,700 vehicles each day and repairs will remove it from the structurally deficient list,” PennDOT said.
Work will include roadway grinding, installation of pavement base drain, drainage replacement, pipe flushing, roadway widening, overlay, tree trimming for daylighting, pavement markings, basic bridge repairs, new signage and miscellaneous construction.
A group of roads, including Route 49, will be resurfaced. The total cost will be $2.8 million.
“In August, maintenance crews will replace a box culvert over Dry Run in Hebron Township,” Fannin said. “(The) contractor will deliver and set (the) box, department maintenance forces will prep site, perform fill work and final paving. The work will come to $227,000.”
Maintenance crews will perform mill and fill work on Route 49, from Coalsburg to Mills and Route 1010 in the Genesee area.
“They will also perform seal coating on numerous routes throughout the county,” Fannin said.
