November 10, 2016
The Merwinsburg Road Bridge spanning Pohopoco Creek in Chestnut Hill Township, Monroe County, opened to traffic today. The bridge was closed and 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 list.
While the bridge is open to traffic, 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 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. Therefore, the PPC overlay will be applied in mid-2017.
This Bridge is one of 558 bridges being replaced under the Rapid Bridge Replacement Project. JV references the joint-venture partnership between Walsh/Granite, which is leading construction for the entire project. Replacement work for this bridge was performed by Walsh Construction II.