VENANGO CO., Pa. (EYT) – The Wolf Administration yesterday announced the next phase of a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) initiative to rehabilitate aging and deteriorating corrugated metal pipes that carry streams under roads in the northwestern region of the state.

Five pipes in Crawford County and Venango County will receive shotcrete lining, a process that essentially sprays concrete at high velocity using compressed air, a hose, and nozzle. The concrete lining is expected to extend the service life of each pipe by an estimated 50 years.

The process also represents a significant cost savings versus replacing the pipes. PennDOT estimates it would cost roughly $250,000 to $400,000 each to replace the region’s deteriorating corrugated metal pipes.

The total bid awarded to do the shotcrete treatment on the current group of five pipes is approximately $45,000 a pipe, which is an estimated cost savings in the $1 million to $1.75 million range.

PennDOT District 1 launched the program last year, rehabilitating seven pipes in Crawford and Mercer counties.
There are 188 of the large, corrugated metal pipes located on state roads throughout District 1’s service area of Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango and Warren counties. Of those, 95 have been identified as possible candidates for the shotcrete treatment. The large corrugated metal pipes on which PennDOT plans to use the process are at least eight feet long and generally eight to 20 feet high.

Through the current phase of the project, five pipes will be treated with the shotcrete process, four in Crawford County and one in Venango County. Those pipes include:

Crawford County

• Route 3013 in Spring Township;
• Route 4011 (Little Cooley Road) in Steuben Township, two pipes; and
• Route 4009 (Thurston Road) in Meadville.

Venango County

• Route 3026 (Georgetown Road) in Frenchcreek Township.

Work on the pipes is expected to start September 10, 2018, on the Georgetown Road in Venango County. The anticipated completion date is October 12, 2018.

The contractor is GeoBuild LLC of Pittsburgh. The contract cost is $225,927, which is to be paid entirely with state funds.
This project is made possible by Act 89, Pennsylvania’s transportation funding plan.

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