Coudersport, PA- The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is alerting area motorists that a Potter County box culvert replacement project will begin on Monday, June 19. The bridge spans a tributary to the south branch of Oswayo Creek on Route 44 in Hebron Township. Built in 1938, the structure is 19 feet long and carries an average of more than 1,300 vehicles daily. Replacing the box culvert will improve its rating from poor to good.

Starting June 19, preliminary work will begin under daylight signing and roadway flaggers.

Preliminary work includes erosion and sedimentation controls, clearing and grubbing, and construction of a temporary roadway.  

Once preliminary work is complete, the bridge will be closed, and the temporary roadway will carry traffic around the work zone. PennDOT expects the temporary road to be opened to traffic during the first week of July, with temporary traffic signals in use. In order to limit access points to the temporary road, T-343 (Tennessee Road) will also be closed. During that closure, a detour using Route 44 will be in place.

Overall work includes the removal of the existing bridge, construction of a new concrete box culvert, approach paving, guide rail installation, pavement base drain, pavement markings, and miscellaneous items. Dean Construction, LLC. is the contractor for this $1.7 million project, with completion expected in mid-September. All work is weather dependent.

Motorists are encouraged to “Know Before They Go” by checking conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles 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 1,000 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.