Sugarcreek bridge work set to begin Monday

Rehabilitation and restoration work is scheduled to begin Monday on the Sugarcreek Truss Bridge on Sugarcreek Drive over Sugar Creek in Venango County.

The bridge is located on Sugarcreek Drive in Sugarcreek Borough, about three-quarters of a mile west of the intersection with Route 322, and about a half-mile east of the intersection with Buttermilk Hill Road.

The 126-foot-long steel truss bridge has been deemed a historic structure by the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office. The bridge was built in 1920.

It is classed as structurally deficient, and is restricted to vehicles weighing 28 tons or less, or 39 tons for combination loads. About 1,000 vehicles a day use the bridge, on average.

Work will involve disassembling the structure and moving the component steel parts to another location, then sandblasting and galvanizing the parts before reassembling the bridge.

Work also includes reconstruction and resurfacing of the roadway approaches, new concrete bridge approach slabs and updated guiderail and pavement markings.

The contractor is Allison Park Contractors of Gibsonia. The contract cost is $1,523,000, which is to be paid entirely with state funds.

The road will be closed while work is done. It is expected to be open to traffic again in early November.

A detour will be required during construction. The posted detour will use Route 322 and Sugarcreek Drive.