The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced the following schedule of maintenance activities in McKean County the week of September 30. 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

• Route 46 at a bridge spanning Tyler Brook between the intersections of Route 446 and Bordell Crossroad five miles north of Smethport in Keating Township. Monday, September 30, through Friday, October 4. This work takes place off the roadway and has minimal, if any, traffic impact.

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.

Crack Seal & Hot Pour Mastic

• Route 446 between the intersections of Route 155 and the Pennsylvania-New York state line in Eldred Township. Monday, September 30, through Wednesday, October 2. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours.
• Route 1011 (Barnum Road/Eldred Road) between the intersection of Route 346 and the Pennsylvania-New York state line in Eldred Township. Thursday, October 3, and Friday, October 4. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours.

Crack sealing and hot pour mastic operations prevent water intrusion from seeping through cracks or joints in an asphalt road, which can lead to potholes and pavement breakup. They are proactive preventive maintenance strategies to prevent water from entering the roadways and accelerating the formation of potholes and other failures.

Pipe Replacing & Cleaning

• Route 346 between the intersections of Gilbert Lane and Woodland Hollow Drive in Bradford Township. Monday, September 30, through Friday, October 4. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours.
• Route 1011 (Barnum Road/Eldred Road) between Art Line Road and the Pennsylvania-New York state line in Eldred Township. Tuesday, October 1. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours.
• Route 4001 (Big Shanty Road) between the intersections of Scout Camp Run and Sand Road in Lafayette Township. Tuesday, October 1. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours.

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.

Side Dozing

• Route 246 (Looker Mountain Trail) between the intersections of Route 646 and Derrick Road in Otto Township. Monday, September 30, and Tuesday, October 1.  Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours.
• Route 346 between the intersection of Route 646 in Foster Township and the intersection of Route 446 in Eldred Borough. Wednesday, October 3, through Friday, October 4. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours.

Side dozing removes excess material from beneath guide rail areas, which improves drainage and allows water to sheet flow off the roadway. Side dozing is a crucial highway maintenance operation because when drainage systems do not function properly, water collects on the road, weakens pavement, accelerates the formation of potholes, and creates the potential for icing conditions in the winter months.

Vegetation Management

• Route 446 from the intersection of Route 46 in Keating Township to the Pennsylvania-New York state line in Eldred Township. Monday, September 30, through Friday, October 4. This work takes place off the roadway and has minimal, if any, traffic impact.

Mowing, herbicide spraying, and selected tree thinning help maintain a safe roadway free of obstructing vegetation, improving visibility to spot signage, traffic control devices, and other motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, and animals approaching the road. Additionally, a well-maintained roadside can improve drainage and prolong the life of the roadway.

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