Route 346 Bridge Replacement Starts June 16 in McKean County

Bradford - Work to replace a Route 346 bridge in McKean County will start Monday, June 16. At that time, the bridge will be closed and a detour will be in place. The bridge spans a branch of Foster Brook, adjacent to Rob Roy Road in Foster Township. When work is complete, PennDOT will be able to remove the bridge from McKean County’s structurally deficient list and area drivers will enjoy travel across a modern structure.

Signage is already in place alerting area drivers to the upcoming closure and detour. Originally built in 1927, the current bridge is 24 feet long and carries over 1,600 vehicles each day. It will be replaced with a new box culvert.

The replacement work requires closing the bridge and a detour will be in place. The detour is approximately twelve miles long and uses Routes 346, 219, 46, 246 and 646 (Rock City Road). The closure and detour will be in effect June 16 through Aug. 25. The new bridge is expected to be open prior to the beginning of the new school year.

Overall work includes removal of the current bridge, placement of the new box culvert, paving, guide rail updates, and miscellaneous items. The contractor for this $445,400 job is Horizon Construction Group, Inc. of Sandy Lake, Pa. All work is weather and schedule dependent.

Drivers are reminded to follow official detour signs, obey posted speed limits and always buckle up.

Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 680 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available by calling 5-1-1, and regional Twitter alerts are available on the 511PA website.