Preservation Work on the State Street Bridge in Oil City Expected to Start Next Month

A $2.7 million project to rehabilitate the bridge that carries State Street (Veteran’s Memorial Bridge) over the Allegheny River in Oil City, Venango County is scheduled to start June 6, 2024.

The bridge, which is owned by Venango County, is located between the intersection with East Front Street (Route 62) and the intersection with Seneca Street and Elm Street.

The project will focus on repairs to the upper portion of the structure, including the concrete bridge deck, barriers, abutments and piers. Work will also include replacement of the expansion joints and upgrades to lighting, signs, and pavement markings.

A detour will be required during construction. It is expected to start on June 10, 2024 and continue for approximately three months. The proposed detour route, which is less than one mile in length, will use East Front Street (Route 62/Route 2008), Route 62 (Petroleum Street), Route 62/Route8 (Main Street), and Center Street (Route 6008).

The existing steel girder bridge was built in 1990. It is classified as fair condition. Approximately 13,500 vehicles a day use the bridge, on average.

Construction is expected to begin June 10, 2024, weather permitting, and is expected to be completed by September 2024.

The contractor is Swank Construction Company of New Kensington, PA. The contract cost is $2,698,163.90, which is to be paid entirely with federal funds.

This project is funded at least in part by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). In 2024 alone, the BIL is bringing approximately $25 million in additional funding to the northwest region to be allocated by the department and its local Metropolitan and Rural Planning Organization (MPO/RPO) partners. In the northwest region, the planning partners are the Erie Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the Shenango Valley MPO, and the Northwest Rural Planning Organization (RPO), for projects in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango and Warren counties.

Information on the State Street Bridge Preservation Project is available online at www.penndot.pa.gov/District1 under the Design and Construction Projects link.

This year PennDOT’s Northwest Region expects to do work on more than 100 projects. To see a full listing of all the anticipated work, check out the 2024 Construction Book located under the Resources tab online at www.penndot.pa.gov/District1.

PennDOT urges motorists to slow down when driving in work zones, and also to be alert to changing conditions, avoid distractions and to pay attention to signs and flaggers. Drive responsibly in work zones for your safety and the safety of the workers.

Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District1.

Information about infrastructure in District 1, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.pa.gov/D1Results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.