According to PA Department of Transportation officer Steve Cowan, a tentative closure date of the current 102-year-old Koppel Bridge is scheduled for August 13. The closure is for 72 consecutive days.
“During this time we will be constructing a retaining wall and doing approach roadway grading, drainage, paving, guide rail, line painting, any remaining bridge work, some demo to the old structure and planting/seeding work,” said Cowan in email.
Traffic has been maintained on the existing bridge during the construction of the new bridge but now will be forced to detour while the new, $27.58 million dollar bridge works closer to completion.
Cowan says detour information will be put out closer to the bridge closure.
“Typically a week before the closure so the information stays fresh,” said Cowan.
PennDOT estimates that the bridge will reopen October 24, more than two months later. The old bridge will then be deconstructed and demolished through the spring of 2020. The closure had been estimated to be three months earlier this year (READ MORE).
The bridge, which carries State Route 351 over the Beaver River and connects Koppel Borough to North Sewickley Township, will be a major causeway for Ellwoodians and area residents to reach the PA Turnpike and PA State Route 376.
This is stupid really 72 days and the detour is very long