WARREN, Pa. – PennDOT invites the public to an online plans display for a project to replace the bridge that carries Route 62 over Lenhart Run in Pleasant Township.
The bridge is 1.26 miles south of the Route 6 and 62 interchange near Grunderville Road.
The existing single-span concrete tee-beam bridge will be replaced with a precast reinforced concrete box culvert on the same horizontal alignment with minor adjustments to the vertical grade. The project will also include a membrane waterproofing system, asphalt-wearing surface, and drainage and guide rail improvements.
Work is expected to occur in 2023.
The proposed project will include half-width construction with a single lane and temporary traffic signals to maintain traffic during construction. Temporary traffic signals will remain to control traffic during the majority of construction.
A short-term detour will be used for two weekends in the spring of 2023. There will be separate car and truck detours. The proposed 38-mile car detour will use Route 62, Route 127, Tidioute Creek Road (Route 3009), Route 27, and Route 6. The proposed 68-mile truck detour will use Route 62, Route 36, Route 27, and Route 6.
The bridge was built in 1928, rehabilitated in 1976, and is classified in poor condition. The bridge is posted with a weight limit and has been reduced to a single lane across the structure controlled by a temporary signal. Approximately 1,000 vehicles use the bridge on average with 19% of the vehicles being trucks.
This project is funded through bridge funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). In 2022 alone, the BIL is bringing approximately $20.5 million in additional funding to the northwest region to be allocated by the department and its local Metropolitan and Rural Planning Organization (MPO/RPO) partners. In the northwest region, the planning partners are the Erie Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the Shenango Valley MPO, and the Northwest Rural Planning Organization (RPO), for projects in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties.
The information on the Route 62 Bridge Replacement Project will be posted online only and includes a handout, digital plans, and an online comment form. The page will remain active until October 24 and can be accessed by visiting the PennDOT District 1 website, www.penndot.pa.gov/District1.
Those unable to access the information online may give feedback by contacting PennDOT Project Manager Ronald J. Johnson, P.E., at [email protected] or 814-678-7145.
The purpose of the virtual public meeting and online plans display is to introduce the project and receive public input regarding any questions or concerns with the project. It is also an opportunity for the public to review and comment on the project’s potential effect upon Cultural Resources pursuant to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s 36 CFR Part 800 regulations implementing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
The project documents will be made available in alternative languages or formats if requested. If you need translation/interpretation services or have special needs or have special concerns that require individual attention, contact Ronald J. Johnson, P.E., PennDOT Project Manager at [email protected] or 814-678-7145