The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced the following schedule of maintenance activities in McKean County the week of July 28. 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:

Pipe Replacing & Cleaning, Ditching

• Route 3005 (Hutchins Loop/Campbelltown Road) between Hutchins Loop in Sergeant Township and Route 6 in Mount Jewett Borough. Monday, July 28, through Friday, August 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.

Surface Treatment

·         Route 1009 (Bell Run Road) between Route 44 and the McKean-Potter County line in Ceres Township. Monday, July 28, and Tuesday, July 29. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours.

• Route 46 starting at the split with Route 446 and continuing northbound toward Rew for approximately seven miles. Wednesday, July 30, through Friday, August 1. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours.

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.

Vegetation Management

• Route 3009 (Kushequa Avenue) between Route 6 in Mount Jewett Borough and Kushequa Road in Hamlin Township. Monday, July 28, through Wednesday, July 30. This work takes place off the roadway and has little, if any, traffic impact.

·         Route 219 between Fern Lane and Old Bradford Road in Hamlin Township. Tuesday, July 29. This work takes place off the roadway and has little, if any, traffic impact.

• Route 346 between Red Rock Road in Foster Township and Derrick Road in Otto Township. Wednesday, July 30. This work takes place off the roadway and has little, if any, traffic impact.
• Route 446 at the Route 155 junction in Eldred Township. Thursday, July 31. This work takes place off the roadway and has little, if any, traffic impact.
• Route 3006 (Westline Road) between Route 219 and Church Street in Lafayette Township. Thursday, July 31, and Friday, August 1.  This work takes place off the roadway and has little, if any, traffic impact.
• Route 770 between Route 646 Keating Township and Foster Hollow Road in Bradford Township. Friday, August 1. This work takes place off the roadway and has little, 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.

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