Bridge work to result in detours

By Mary Grzebieniak

The bike trail underneath the blue bridge will remain open for most of the construction period.

HILLSVILLE, Pa. — Motorists will be detoured for only one to two weeks for construction of each of two bridges on U.S. Route 224, slated for replacement in 2011.

Engineers from PennDOT and SAI Consulting Engineers answered residents’ questions at a public meeting Tuesday evening at the Mahoning Township Community Center about replacement of the blue truss bridge just east of the “Y” intersection of U.S. Route 224 and Pa. Route 551, and a smaller span over the Norfolk-Southern Railroad just west of the same intersection. Estimated cost is $12.5 million for the blue bridge and a tentative estimate is for $3.5 million for the smaller bridge.

Rich Kauffman of SAI said that temporary bridges will be constructed downstream of the existing bridges. The old bridges will then be demolished and new piers and abutments built. The superstructure from the temporary bridge will then be moved onto the permanent structure. The two bridges will not close at the same time because each bridge is a part of the detour for the other bridge’s closing, he said.

The long detours — approximately 25 miles for each bridge because the detour must lead onto state roads — are the reason why the temporary bridges will be included in the bid specifications for the project. PennDOT Engineer Cheryl Moon-Siranni said such temporary bridges are becoming increasingly common in bridge construction across the nation. The temporary bridges will be two lanes and able to take full legal loads. Mahoning Township officials had earlier expressed concerns about the disruption that a long bridge closing and detour would cause in the area.

The detour route for the blue bridge takes westbound motorists on U.S. 224 to Pa. Route 551 north, to U.S. 422 west, to Ohio Route 616 south back to U.S. 224.

The detour for the railroad bridge takes westbound motorists on U.S. 224, south on Pa. Route 551 to Pa. Route 317 east, which becomes Ohio Route 630 east, to Ohio Route 170 north and back to U.S. 224 east.

The officials said some surface improvements will be made to the road between the two bridges.

Some residents questioned why a turning lane at the “Y” intersection of Pa. Route 551 and U.S. 224 is not included as part of the project. The residents said it is difficult to make a turn at the intersection with only two lanes.

Moon-Siranni said the federal bridge money used for the project will not allow this because the traffic volume and accident history at the intersection do not satisfy requirements for safety alterations funds. The blue bridge is funded with 80 percent Federal Highway Administration and 20 percent state funds, with the smaller bridge possibly being funded entirely with state money, officials said.

The officials also said the state has no plan to turn U.S. 224 into a four-lane road, even with the anticipated opening of the Valley View Downs “racino” nearby, because traffic volume is not high enough.

Officials also said the bike trail underneath the blue bridge will remain open for most of the construction period but will have to be closed at certain points for safety reasons.

Anyone with questions about the bridge construction should contact Kenneth Siebert at PennDOT, (412) 429-4895.