PennDOT set to replace poor-rated Mt. Pleasant Township bridge, posts plans online
PennDOT is planning to replace a bridge in Mt. Pleasant Township that is among more than 140 state-inspected spans in Westmoreland County rated in poor condition.
The project on Ankney Hill Road is slated for construction from the spring of 2023 through the following fall, according to a virtual plans display available online through Feb. 24.
The single-span steel I-beam bridge dates to 1905 and was rehabilitated in 1982. Crossing Welty Run, it will be replaced with a prestressed concrete box beam bridge.
Crews will repave about 160 feet of Ankney Hill Road, also known as State Route 2025.
The project has a projected cost between $800,000 and $1 million, according to PennDOT.
Project officials expect motorists will have to detour around the work site for about five months. The proposed 4-mile detour will use Route 982, Heimann and Redman roads and Kuhn Road, which also is known as Shady Lane.
Based on inspections, both the superstructure and substructure of the bridge are listed in poor condition.
“Although a bridge might be rated as poor, it does not mean the bridge is in an unsafe condition,” said William Kovach, district executive for Uniontown-based PennDOT District 12. “There is inadequate funding to replace every poor bridge.”
He said PennDOT looks at inspection data, the structure type, traffic volumes and other local factors in determining “whether the bridge life can be extended through preservation or rehabilitation, or if replacement is the only option.”
In the case of the Ankney Hill Road bridge, he said, the beams “are of an age and condition that our experience shows will soon lead to a load posting that will decrease each year.
“For this type of structure, rehabilitation or preservation is not a prudent use of funds because it will continue to require a disproportionately high amount of maintenance due to the grid deck and will continue to quickly deteriorate. For this structure, replacement is the most cost-effective option.”
To view the plans, visit PennDOT.gov/District12, click on “Public Meetings” under the District Links heading, select the Westmoreland County box and then choose the “Ankney Road over Welty Run Bridge Replacement Project” tile.
The plans display provides an opportunity for the public to submit any questions or concerns about the project.
Those unable to access the information online may give feedback by contacting PennDOT project manager Sean Sepe at ssepe@pa.gov or 724-439-7322.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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