BOALSBURG — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will begin work soon to replace a Branch Road bridge near State College. Replacing the bridge will allow PennDOT to remove it from Centre County’s structurally deficient list, according to a press release.
The bridge spans Slab Cabin Run, near the entrance to the Centre Hills Country Club, in Harris Township. The existing bridge is weight-posted at 19 tons for single vehicles and 31 tons for combination vehicles. Dating from 1954, the bridge carries an average of 10,000 vehicles each day.
Tree trimming is already under way for this project. This work will be done under daylight flagging operations, with roadway flaggers enforcing an alternating traffic pattern along the section of road.
Through mid-July, miscellaneous project work will take place with alternating traffic patterns and flagging operations in place as necessary.
Starting Monday, July 17, this section of Branch Road will be closed and a 42-day detour will be in place. PennDOT will issue a project update and detour reminder prior to the implementation of the detour.
Overall project work will include removal of the old bridge, construction of a new, three-cell, pre-cast box culvert, paving, guide rail updates, water and sewer line relocation, drainage and miscellaneous items.
PennDOT expects the new bridge to be open to traffic this fall.
All work is weather and schedule dependent. Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc., of State College, is the contractor on the $1.9 million project.
Drivers are reminded to move through work zones with caution and obey posted speed limits.
