The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced the following schedule of maintenance activities in McKean County the week of May 20. 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, May 20, through Friday, May 24. 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.

Cold in Place Recycling

• Route 1009 (Bell Run Road) between the intersections of Route 44 and the McKean/Potter County line in Ceres Township. Monday, May 20, through Friday, May 24. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours.

Cold in-place recycling is a process where the existing asphalt pavement is cold milled to produce reclaimed asphalt pavement, which is then processed into a recycled mixture, placed, and compacted onto the roadway. Some advantages of this treatment include conservation of nonrenewable resources and energy, correction of surface irregularities, and removal of existing cracks, potholes, and raveling. PennDOT often enjoys a cost savings compared to other treatments.

Pipe Replacing & Cleaning

• Route 46 between the intersection of Route 646 (Summit Road) in Foster Township and Route 1015 (Columbia Hill Road) in Keating Township. Monday, Monday 20, through Friday, May 24. 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.

Signing

• Various routes throughout the county. Monday, May 20, through Friday, May 24. 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.

Vegetation Management

• Route 321 throughout the county. Monday, May 20, and Tuesday, May 21. PennDOT will implement short-term lane closures while completing this work.

·         Route 3006 (Westline Road) in Lafayette Township. Wednesday, May 22, and Thursday, May 23. PennDOT will implement short-term lane closures while completing this work.

·         Route 3009 (Roberts Road) in Lafayette Township. Wednesday, May 22, and Thursday, May 23. PennDOT will implement short-term lane closures while completing this work.

·         Route 3011 (Bridge Street) between the intersections of Route 59 in Keating Township and Route 6 in Mount Jewett Borough. Friday, May 24. PennDOT will implement short-term lane closures while completing this work.

·         Route 3015 (Lindholm Road) in Hamlin Township. Friday, May 24. PennDOT will implement short-term lane closures while completing this work.

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.