October 13, 2016
The Route 467 (Rome Road) bridge, which spans Wysox Creek at the intersection of Route 187 in Rome Township, Bradford County, is open to traffic. The bridge has been under construction as part of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Rapid Bridge Replacement Project. Replacement of the bridge allows PennDOT to remove it from Bradford County’s structurally deficient list.
The bridge reopened to traffic on Tuesday, October 11; however, motorists may notice a slight bump as they drive across the bridge until a polyester polymer concrete (PPC) overlay is applied to the bridge deck. This is often the final step in completing these 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 50 degrees and after the bridge concrete has cured for at least 30 days. Flaggers will assist in guiding alternating bi-directional traffic when the PPC overlay is applied in mid-2017.
This bridge is referred to as JV-94 and 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.