PennDOT Changes Weight Restrictions for Thousands of Bridges

Within four months, PennDOT says a bridge which carries route 309 over Bow Creek near Mountain Top will be off limits to tractor trailers, dump trucks, even some fire trucks, anything over 28 tons.

The bridge is only 28 feet long, but new restrictions to this small bridge could mean big problems for first responders and people who drive big vehicles to make a living.

It is one of 1,000 bridges statewide where PennDOT is changing the weight restrictions.

"You've all heard me say we need to invest in bridges or we'll have to deal with the consequences if we don't," said PennDOT Secretary Barry Schoch. "Unfortunately we are at a step where we need to deal with the consequences."

The head of PennDOT made the announcement at a facility in Harrisburg now busy making hundreds of weight restriction signs. All kinds of bridges will be posted with limits ranging from three tons to 40 tons within the next four months.

Cars will be fine, but here's what that means for other vehicles.

The average loaded school bus weighs 17 tons and the average fire truck weighs from 19 to 30 tons.

Most loaded cement trucks weigh in at 33 tons, a loaded dump truck is about 36 tons, and lastly an average tractor trailers weigh around 40 tons.

Penn dot is still determining the limits but the bridge along route 347 in Lackawanna County is getting restrictions.

It's easy to see this spot in Scott Township north of Justus needs some work.

"The engineers , they took a lot of time with this, we wanted to make sure we thought through this with the federal highway administration to make sure that they agreed with our strategy and this is a step that's necessary to extend the life of these bridges," Schoch added.

PennDOT leaders say lawmakers must make big decisions to fund bridge repairs, but it's too late to prevent these restrictions from going into effect.

"They are not unsafe, not unsafe," said Schoch. "We are restricting the weight so we can slow down the deterioration so we can apply our resources to all 11,000 bridges so we don't have a bigger problem in the future."

Here is the list of bridges affected in our region:

Lackawanna County

• Route 347 over Kennedy Creek in Scott Township, 28 tons, or 34 tons for combination loads.
• Route 524 over Kennedy Creek in North Abington Township, 26 tons, or 36 combination loads.
• Route 690 over Van Brunt Creek in Moscow Borough, 28 tons, or 38 tons for combination loads.

Luzerne County

• Route 115 over Shades Creek in Bear Creek Township, 35 tons, or 40 tons for combination loads.
• Route 309 over Bow Creek in Wright Township, 28 tons, or 35 tons combination loads.
• Route 437 tributary to Creasy Creek Dennison Township, 28 tons, or 34 tons for combination loads.
• Route 2035 (Suscon Road) in Bear Creek Township, 33 tons, or 40 tons for combinations loads.
• Route 3019 (Stockton Road) over Hazle Creek in Hazle Township, 35 tons, or 40 tons for combinations loads.

Pike County

• Route 390 over Outlet Fairview in Lake in Palmyra, Township, 22 tons, or 40 tons for combination loads.
• Route 402 over Shohola Creek in Blooming Grove Township, 34 tons, or 40 tons for combination loads.
• Route 2006 (Log Tavern Road)over Dwartfill Creeek in Dingman Township 15 tons, or 26 tons for combination loads.
• Route 4003 (Welcome Lake Road) over Masthope Creek in Lackawaxen Township, 33 tons, or 40 tons for combination loads.

Susquehanna County

• Route 267 Middle Branch Wyalusing in First Lake Township, 32 tons, or 40 tons for combination loads.
• Route 267 Stone Street Creek in Forest Lake Township, 24 tons, or 34 tons for combination loads.
• Route 367 Branch Tuscarora Creek in Auburn Township, 29 tons, or 40 tons for combination loads.
• Route 706 Pettis Creek in Bridgewater Township. 31 tons or 40 tons for combination loads.
• Route 848 over Branch Butler Creek in Gibson Township, 27 tons or 36 tons for combination loads.
• Route 1010 (Harmony Road) over Lewis Creek in Oakland Township, 32 tons or 40 combination loads.
• Route 1011(Stevens Point Road) over Hemlock Creek in Harmony Township, 34 tons or 40 tons combination loads.
• Route 1018(Franklin Road) over Snake Creek in Franklin Township, 35 tons or 40 tons for combination loads.
• Route 1033 (Susquehanna Ave) over tributary Susquehanna River in Great Bend Township, 28 tons or 40 tons for combination loads.
• Route 2008 (Airport Road) over Dundaff Creek in Clifford Township, 33 tons or 39 tons for combination loads.
• Route 2012 (Tinker Brook) in Clifford Township, 25 tons or 34 tons for combination loads.
• Route 3029 (Ridge Road) over Forest Lake Creek in Forest Lake Creek, 8 tons or 12 tons for combination loads.
• Route 3037 over East Bridge Wyalusing Creek in Rush Township 10 tons or 10 tons for combination loads.
• Route 4002 (Murphy Corners Road) over Rhiney Creek in Silver Lake Township, 36 tons or 39 tons for combination loads.

Wayne County

• Route 191 over Big Brook Creek in Oregon Township, 35 tons or 40 tons for combination loads.
• Route 191 over Little Equinunk Creek in Damascus Township, 34 tons or 40 tons for combination loads.
• Route 296 over Van Aucken Creek in Waymart Borough, 23 tons or 29 tons for combination loads.
• Route 371 over North Branch Calkins Creek in Damascus Township, 25 tons or 35 for combination loads.
• Route 371 over Beaver Dam Creek in Damascus Township, 28 tons or 40 tons for combination loads.
• Route 1004 (Haise Road) over Calkins Creek in Damascus Township, 24 tons or 28 tons for combination loads.
• Route 1023 (Pine Mill Road/ Rifle Range Road) over South Branch Equinunk Creek in Manchester Township, 34 tons or 40 tons for combination loads.
• Route 1023 (Pine Mill Road/Rifle Range Road) over South Branch Equinunk Creek in Manchester Township, 36 tons or 40 tons for combination loads.
• Route 2007 (Tryon Street) over Holbert Creek in Berlin Township, 21 tons or 27 tons for combination loads.
• Route 4014(Winterdale Road) over Ball Creeks in Scott Township, 16 tons or 21 tons for combination loads.
• Route 4033 (Old Salem Pike) over Shehawken Creek in Buckingham Township, 20 tons or 24 tons for combination loads.

Wyoming County

• Route 92 over Monroe Creek in Nicholson Township, 26 tons or 36 tons for combination loads.
• Route 2007(Keelersberg Road) over Penny Creek in Eaton Township, 35 tons or 40 tons for combination loads.

For the complete list of bridges visit: http://www.dot.state.pa.us