The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation plans a summer reopening of the nearly quarter-century-old bridge that carries Pithole Road over West Pithole Creek.
The bridge was closed in December 2018 after it was discovered to be unsafe for use, according to PennDOT public relations officer Jill Harry.
There is damage to a guide rail and side of the 19-foot-long bridge, which Harry said was caused by a vehicle hitting the bridge.
PennDOT contacted the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) to determine whether the bridge was a protected historical structure before any repair plans could be made, Harry said.
The PHMC last month told PennDOT that the bridge was not considered a historical structure, so PennDOT would not be required to follow repair guidelines for historical structures, Harry said.
“We are still working through the design process,” Harry said. “Just last week they determined what work was needed to be done.”
Now, Harry said, PennDOT is deciding how to implement repairs using PennDOT workers.
“It’s a very rural bridge,” she said.
Detours for the bridge send drivers onto Routes 36 and 227.
“You can still get to the museum in Pithole, some people are confused about that,” she said.
