PennDOT is recognized by the American Transportation Awards for the Crawford Avenue Bridge rehabilitation project in Fayette County and the Milwaukee Road bridge replacement over Gardner Creek in Lackawanna County.
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has been for two regional America's Transportation Awards from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The Crawford Avenue Bridge rehabilitation project in Fayette County, and the Milwaukee Road bridge replacement over Gardner Creek in Lackawanna County won awards in the categories of “Quality of Life/Community Development” and “Best Use of Technology & Innovation,” respectively.
“Every project undertaken on our transportation network is an opportunity to deliver for Pennsylvania travelers,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “These bridges in Fayette and Lackawanna Counties are vital connections between people, jobs and services, and I’m proud of our team’s incredible work getting them reopened for those communities.”
PennDOT’s rehabilitation of the Crawford Avenue Bridge (McCray Robb) reconnected neighborhoods, businesses, and community resources, and supports multimodal transportation, particularly the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) trail. Funded by a $7 million Congressionally Directed Spending award, the $13 million project was completed in November 2024.
The restored bridge has improved safety, connectivity, and quality of life for Connellsville residents by restoring the bridge’s integrity and adding modern safety features, including a shared-use path for pedestrians and cyclists.
The Milwaukee Road bridge replacement over Gardner Creek was the first Commonwealth project to use PennDOT's Digital Delivery 2025 initiative which aims to modernize infrastructure projects delivery by incorporating digital data and 3D technology - replacing a 32-foot steel girder bridge with a 52-foot prestressed concrete bridge. The project was designed, bid, and built using a digital model, rather than 2D paper plans, as part of the Digital Delivery 2025 initiative which aims to make this method the standard for the future.
Using 3D models to guide the construction process provides significantly more data than traditional paper plans. The 3D model allows the contractor access to all the design information on tablets rather than the limited information traditionally supplied by conventional paper plans, and to-scale illustrations were created to guide crews through the sequence of construction.
The new bridge was completed and opened to traffic in June 2024, ahead of schedule, due to effective teamwork and digital delivery methods.
The America’s Transportation Awards competition is sponsored by American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO), American Automobile Association (AAA), and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. State DOTs compete in three categories: Quality of Life/Community Development; Best Use of Technology and Innovation; and Operations Excellence. Each category is also designated by budget size. Projects are judged within their region.
Following the NASTO regional competition, the “Top 12” nationwide finalists will be selected from the regional award winners and will be announced in early September. These finalists will then contend for the 2024 America’s Transportation Awards national prizes.
Information about state infrastructure in Pennsylvania, including completed work and significant projects, is available at here. Find PennDOT's planned and active construction projects at https://www.pa.gov/agencies/penndot/projects-near-you.html.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Zachary Appleby, zappleby@pa.gov or 717-409-3840
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