Clearfield, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced the following schedule of maintenance activities in McKean County the week of July 1. Crews will not work on Thursday in observance of the holiday. PennDOT performs year-round maintenance in its mission to provide a safe, efficient transportation system, and the scope of work in McKean County for the coming week is as follows:

Bridge Maintenance & Cleaning

• Various routes throughout the county. Monday, July 1, Through Wednesday, July 3, and Friday, July 5. This work takes place on the shoulder and has minimal, if any, traffic impact, however PennDOT urges drivers to exercise caution through the work zone.

Pennsylvania has some of the oldest bridges in the country, with an age of more than 50 years on average. Preventive maintenance is vital in extending the life of the structures. As such, PennDOT maintenance crews perform some bridge deck patching and structural repairs.

Pipe Replacing & Cleaning

• Route 4001 (Big Shanty Road) between the intersections of Route 219 in Lewis Run Borough and Route 59 in Lafayette Township. Monday, July 1, and Tuesday, July 2. This work takes place on the shoulder and has minimal, if any, traffic impact, however PennDOT urges drivers to exercise caution through the work zone.

Pipe replacement and cleaning are essential in maintaining water flow around state roadways. Controlling water flow is one of the most important aspects of maintaining pavements. Uncontrolled water flow will damage both the pavement surface and the area under the pavement, which causes deterioration across the length of the pipe.

Signing

• Various routes throughout the county. Monday, July 1, through Friday, September 22. This work takes place off the roadway and has minimal, if any, traffic impact.

Signs are the most prominent way PennDOT communicates roadway safety and other information to our customers. County maintenance organizations have crews responsible for installing and repairing signage along state roads and reviewing installed signs to determine if replacements are needed. Reasons for replacing a sign include age, vandalism, or damage.

Surface Treatment

• The entirety of Route 4003 (Bingham Road) in Keating and Lafayette townships. Tuesday, July 2. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours.
• Route 646 (Ridge/Summit Road) between the intersections of Route 46 in Foster Township and Route 4003 (Bingham Road) in Keating Township. Tuesday, July 2, Wednesday, July 3. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours.

PennDOT urges drivers utilizing these roads on these dates to build extra time into their travel schedules as delays are expected.

Commonly known as “oil and chip” or “sealcoat,” this operation is a preservation strategy used to maintain mainly low-traffic-volume roads for five to seven years. It is also used on high-volume roads to extend pavement life between resurfacings. Generally, it takes stones about two days to fully bond in the hardened asphalt. Motorists should reduce their speed on these roads until the stones fully adhere to the asphalt. This maintenance seals the road surface to keep water out, restores the friction of the surface to enhance traction, and is very cost-effective.

This schedule is subject to change due to weather conditions, emergencies, or other unforeseen interruptions.

Customers can report road concerns by calling 1-800-FIX-ROAD. If calling after hours, please leave a name and phone number.