Latrobe bridge set for rehabilitation

A bridge in Latrobe is set for rehabilitation this year after the county commissioners on Monday approved a $2.4 million project.

Brewery Bridge carries Ligonier Street over Loyalhanna Creek near City Brewing and Excela Health Latrobe Hospital. County engineer Vaughn Neill said the project is funded mostly by a federal transportation grant with Westmoreland County responsible for 20% of the cost.

The project will replace the 175-foot-long span’s deck and beams and rehabilitate the piers and abutments. The bridge originally was built in 1935 and reconstructed in 1974.

“The intent is to get started this spring,” Neill said. “We hope to have it fully finished before the winter.”

Work is scheduled to start in April and may be completed by November.

There were nine bids for the project received by Westmoreland County. The contract was awarded to Beech Construction Inc. of Pittsburgh, which was the lowest responsible bidder.

Vaughn said part of the bridge will remain open to traffic headed north toward Excela Health Latrobe Hospital while work is ongoing. Southbound traffic will be detoured 2 miles onto West Second Avenue, Garfield Road, Unity Street and Route 981 during construction.

Latrobe was the site of road construction last year under a $3.4 million PennDOT project that upgraded nine intersections. Sections of downtown streets were torn up for the replacement of water lines in preparation for the project. Updated traffic signals were installed and handicapped-accessible curb ramps and crosswalks were added. PennDOT continues to update reflective pavement markers in the city.