MILESBURG, Pa. – Roadways and bridges are essential to the transportation of millions of people every day. In Pennsylvania, there are over 25,400 bridges that provide an important connection between people and their communities.
However, the current infrastructure in the state is approaching its age limit, with most bridges averaging 50 years old and in need of repairs.
Peter Kempf, a senior civil engineer manager at PennDOT, says the state bridges are inspected on a cycle that prioritizes some repairs over others.
“If the bridge itself is newer and has a good rating, those inspections may be every three years. As the bridges age, those inspections become more frequent,” Kempf says.
PennDOT has recently been struggling with funding for the maintenance and restoration of bridges. According to Kempf, PennDOT’s budget has an eight billion dollar per year shortfall when it comes to the funding and the prioritization of repairs.
Spring Creek Bridge in Milesburg, PA
In addition to providing repair and maintenance work, PennDOT is also responsible for keeping its travelers safe on the roadways. The 511PA travel information service is designed to provide outreach messages to people in the event of traffic delays, weather alerts, and more.
Marla Fannin, a Community Relations Coordinator and Public Information Officer at PennDOT, says 511PA is an essential outlet for the dissemination of urgent messages.
“What we try to hammer home to folks is to prepare before you head out. So if you have to go out, have you gone to the 511PA site to see what the current road and weather conditions are,” says Fannin.
Community members appreciate this outreach method and the awareness it provides for travel considerations.
Bellefonte resident, Angela Gates, says she pays attention to traffic alerts when she drives to work everyday.
“I am happy now that they have the signs on 99,” Gates said. “If there is an accident it lets you be aware.”
Similarly, State College local, Britta Petrich, says that she finds travel alerts to be especially important during non-ideal weather conditions.
“I would pay attention to an alert, just because I don’t like driving in the snow to begin with,” said Petrich.
Currently, PennDOT is gearing up for the winter months that are approaching. They will continue to prioritize travelers’ safety while paying close attention to the roadway conditions. PennDOT officials encourage utilizing their online platforms, such as 511PA, during the winter season in order to stay up-to-date on travel notifications.