OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) – Motorists on State Route 8 will have a wider, safer and more efficient bridge over Oil Creek in Cornplanter Township by this fall.

Replacement work on the McClintock Bridge is scheduled to begin April 25 and be completed by Oct. 15.

The project is located about 1.2 miles north of Oil City and about .6 miles south of the intersection with State Route 227.

The existing 370-foot-long steel truss bridge is to be replaced with a two-span steel beam, integral abutment bridge of the same length.

With modern design techniques and construction materials, the new bridge should not have to be replaced for another 100 years, barring unforeseen events.

The new bridge will be wider – measuring 40 feet curb-to-curb, as opposed to the 29-foot width of the existing bridge. The replacement will also eliminate the overhead trusses that restrict the height of trucks that can use the bridge.

The existing bridge was built in 1930 and is listed as structurally deficient. On average, about 5,443 vehicles a day use the bridge.

Traffic Impact: Car and truck detours will be posted to route traffic around the construction site.

The posted car detour will use State Route 428 and State Route 417.

The posted truck detour will use Front Street (SR 4002) in Sugarcreek Borough and State Route 417.

Media contact: Jim Carroll, (814) 678-7095.