The bridge that carries Route 6 over French Creek at the border of Hayfield and Woodcock townships in Crawford County is opened to traffic.
The bridge is located between the intersection with Route 198 (South Street) and the intersection with Jordan Drive.
Work on the bridge started in March 2025. The former metal truss bridge, built in 1936, was closed in April 2025 and later removed.
A new concrete bridge was constructed on the same alignment along Route 6 and has 11-foot travel lanes with 5-foot shoulders. The project also included milling and paving of each side of the bridge, as well as updated guiderail and roadway paint.
Work to install a railing along the bridge barrier will be completed in November. Lane restrictions will be needed when the temporary barrier now in place is removed.
The contractor is Mekis Construction of Fenelton, PA. The contract cost is $6,750,575.42, which is to be paid entirely with state funds.
A second contract for the replacement of another bridge on Route 6 over French Creek in Hayfield and Woodcock townships, Crawford County is expected to start in spring 2026.
It is located between the intersection with the Morris Road and the intersection with Black Road, approximately 2 miles southwest of Saegertown.
The bridge will be replaced with a concrete structure with 11-foot travel lanes and 5-foot shoulders. The roadway elevation will be adjusted 225 feet from the southern end and 50 feet of the northern end of the bridge. In addition, Morris Road and Brake Shoe Road, which are township roads near the southern side of the bridge, will be adjusted to match Route 6.
Vehicle and bicycle detours will be posted during the closure. A portion of French Creek will be closed to boaters for a portion of the project.
The existing through-truss bridge was built in 1937. It is classified as poor condition and has a vehicle clearance of 14 feet. Repairs were made to the bridge in 2019 after it was damaged by an over-height vehicle. Approximately 7,100 vehicles a day use the bridge, on average.
The contractor is Francis J. Palo, Inc. of Clarion. The contractor cost is $6,933,024, which will be paid entirely with state funds.
Information on the Route 6 Bridge Replacement Projects is available online at www.pa.gov/DOTdistrict1 and clicking on the View District 1 Projects button.
PennDOT urges motorists to slow down when driving in work zones, and also to be alert to changing conditions, avoid distractions and to pay attention to signs and flaggers. Drive responsibly in work zones for your safety and the safety of the workers.
Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.
511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.
Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District1.
Information about infrastructure in District 1, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.pa.gov/D1Results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.
Find PennDOT news for the northwest region on X or Facebook.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Jill Harry, jharry@pa.gov or 814-678-5035