October 06, 2017
A bridge carrying Route 484 (Buck Valley Road) over Sideling Creek in Union Township, Fulton County, reopened to traffic today. This bridge was replaced as part of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's (PennDOT) Rapid Bridge Replacement Project and allows PennDOT to remove it from the state's structurally deficient bridge list.
The bridge was closed on July 13 for the replacement project. The original closure was scheduled for 105 days, but the project team was able to expedite construction and reopen the bridge 25 days ahead of schedule.
The new crossing is longer and wider than the one it replaced and is designed with a 100-year lifespan. Replacement work was performed by Walsh Construction II.
With the bridge reopened, motorists may notice a slight bump as they drive across the bridge until a polyester polymer concrete (PPC) overlay is applied to the deck. This is often the final step in completing box beam bridge projects. The PPC overlay is designed to protect the deck from the wear and tear brought about by Pennsylvania’s harsh winters and reduce the long-term maintenance costs.
The polyester material can only be applied when temperatures are consistently above 40 degrees, dry weather is forecasted and after the bridge concrete has cured for at least 30 days. An alternating traffic pattern will be controlled by flaggers when the PPC overlay is applied in October 2017.