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    District 10 Projects - Butler County

    Karns Crossing Bridge Replacement

    Project Status

    Step 3 of 4

    Construction

    Next Step:  Completed

    Project Overview

    County: Butler
    Municipality: Butler and Summit Townships
    State Route: Route 68 and Route 422
    Project Type: Bridge Replacement
    MPMS Number: 86105
    Construction Start: December 2024
    Construction End: May 2028
    Cost:  $64,846,663
    Contractor:  Swank Construction Company
    Last Updated: 2/13/2026

    The Karns Crossing Bridge is a key connector between east Butler and the Route 422 interchange.  Route 68 provides north/south access to the Route 68/Route 422 interchange and direct access to the Butler Health System Memorial Hospital. The Karns Crossing Bridge project will replace two separate structures. The first is the bridge itself that carries Route 68 over the railroad lines. The second structure is the adjacent arch culvert over the waterway.

    The new Karns Crossing Bridge will be widened from 2-lanes to 4-lanes with wider shoulders and will be raised to provide clearance over the rail lines for double stack rail cars, removing a freight bottleneck and increasing the volume of goods moved per train. The existing arch culvert over the Connoquenessing Creek will be replaced with a single span bridge. The new bridge will also be wider than the existing one to allow 4 lanes on Route 68.

    The project includes traffic safety and capacity improvements at the Route 68/Delwood Road intersection and the Route 68/Route 422 eastbound on-ramp intersection.

    Phase 2 began in November of 2025 and includes building a new three span structure to replace the Karns Crossing Bridge over the Buffalo & Pittsburgh and Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroads. Also, the existing twin arch culvert will be replaced with a single span structure currently located near the intersection of Route 422 interchange. Several phase changes are to occur in the Summer of 2025 to perform roadway work near the interchange of Route 422 Eastbound on and off ramps for the new structures. The new bridges are expected to be open to half width construction in November of 2025, while the other portion of the structures will be built in 2027. Nighttime road restrictions under flagger are expected throughout the summer of 2025 for beam erection and delivery along with roadway work. 

    Location Map

    Contact Information

    Stephen Headley
    Project Manager
    724-256-8693
    sheadley@pa.gov

    Tina Gibbs
    Press Office
    724-357-2829 
    chgibbs@pa.gov

    Project Updates & Press Releases

    Accessibility

    The project documents can be made available in alternative languages or formats if requested. If you need translation or interpretation services, have special needs, or have concerns that require individual attention, please contact the Project Manager listed above.

    Title VI

    Pursuant to the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, PennDOT does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. If you feel that you have been denied the benefits of, or participation in a PennDOT program or activity, you may contact the PennDOT, Bureau of Equal Opportunity, DBE/Title VI Division at 717-787-5891.