OIL CITY, Pa. — On behalf of Governor Tom Corbett, yesterday PennDOT announced a project that will replace an aging, structurally deficient bridge on Route 173 in Mercer County.

The project, when completed, will offer motorists on Route 173 a smoother ride on a sound, modern bridge over a tributary to Wolf Creek in Worth Township.

The existing 35-foot-long bridge is located six tenths of a mile north of Scrubgrass Road and about eight tenths of a mile south of Millbrook Road.

The existing bridge was built in 1923 and reconstructed in 1948. On average, approximately 1,835 vehicles a day use the bridge.

Work will include construction of a new 52-foot-long, single span concrete spread box beam bridge, concrete bridge approach slabs and paved roadway approaches along with updated drainage, guiderails and pavement markings.

The contractor is BECDIR Construction Co. Inc. of Berlin Center, Ohio. The contract cost is $757,191.90. Costs will be paid with 80 percent federal funds and 20 percent state funds.

The existing bridge is scheduled to close on June 10, 2013. Physical work is scheduled to be completed and the road open to traffic by Oct. 31, 2013.

During construction, a detour will be posted using Scrubgrass Road (Route 2014), Centertown Road (Route 2009) and Kilgore Road (Route 2022).

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Source: PennDOT