Workers work along the Laneville bridge to continue an off-ramp over Buffalo Creek near the Freeport Bridge last week.
Construction efforts at a multi-county bridge are continuing as planned this week.
The Freeport Bridge in Freeport Borough that crosses the Allegheny River and connects State Route 356 with Route 2019 (Freeport Road) is undergoing a three-year $63 million construction project to ease traffic headaches.
Construction began in August 2010 to eliminate two off-ramps on the Freeport-side and update traffic safety by installing two traffic lights.
PennDOT District 10 Construction Project Manager Tim McClellan advised motorists of an upcoming change to construction efforts.
“Sometime in September, they’re going to widen this river bridge out and switch both lanes of traffic to the north-bound side. There might be a few delays that week while we’re switching,” McClellan said.
Construction workers will widen the roadway 10 feet to create two 12-foot temporary traffic lanes while workers work on the underside of the south-bound lanes.
The bridge intersects between Armstrong, Allegheny, Butler and Westmoreland counties. Also referred to as the Donald R. Lobaugh Bridge, the bridge has been in-place for at least 50 years.
No detour is in place for local travelers. An emergency detour is in place for construction crews. Tom Hesmond, Project Manager of Brayman Construction in Saxonburg explained why.
“Part of the reason the bridge is being built in halves like this is the detour’s over 20 miles,” Hesmond said.
McClellan said many motorists don’t have the opportunity to see what all is being done till late in the project.
“Unfortunately, all the work’s been going on underneath the trus where nobody can see it, but hopefully once the widening’s done and we start doing work on top, hopefully some things will be noticed,” McClellan said. “It’s tough when you’re working everyday underneath here – you’re doing a lot of work, but nobody sees anything.”
PennDOT District 12 Liason Melvin Criswell explained the bridge had to be lifted ¼ inch last week for work to continue. A temporary system lifted approximately 600 tons on the northbound side.
“We lifted that whole bridge up using that temporary system replacing the barrings and will put it down next week,” Crisswell said.
A safety shield below the bridge is also in place so that construction workers can easily work without having to dangle from ropes.
There have been first-aid injuries but no workers have been hospitalized during the construction effort.
Hesmond, who said approximately 50 workers work on-site, said winter weather won’t dampen construction efforts.
“The construction will continue throughout the winter,” Hesmond said. “Weather makes it more difficult, but it’s nothing that will make it out-of-the-ordinary.”
Hesmond said travelers will be able to safely navigate better once construction is completed.
“It’s going to be a lot safer and a more user-friendly intersection than currently exists once this is done,” Hesmond said.
PennDOT hopes to have the bridge construction completed in November 2013.
by Jonathan Weaver