Staff report

CHAMBERSBURG -- The Fort McCord Road bridge spanning Dennis Creek in Hamilton Township has been replaced on schedule.

The bridge, part of Pennsylvania’s Rapid Bridge Replacement Project, reopened to traffic around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The project is a public-private partnership between the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners. PWKP will finance, design, replace and maintain 558 bridges for 25 years. The partnership was formed so that bridges could be replaced more quickly and at less cost.

Crews will return to the bridge in spring to complete the job.

Motorists may notice a slight bump as they drive across the bridge until an overlay is applied to the deck. The polyester polymer concrete will protect the deck from the wear and tear brought about by Pennsylvania’s harsh winters. It should reduce long-term maintenance costs.

The polyester material can only be applied after the bridge concrete has cured for at least 30 days and when temperatures are consistently above 40 degrees and dry weather is forecast.

Flaggers will guide traffic when the PPC overlay is applied in the spring of 2017.

Clearwater Construction, Mercer, demolished the previous, structurally deficient bridge, built in 1953. The bridge was closed on Sept. 22.

It is the second bridge on Fort McCord Road to be replaced in the Rapid Bridge Replacement Project. The first, which spans Back Creek in Hamilton Township, reopened in September.

It is the third rapid bridge replacement in Franklin County. The bridge spanning Burns Creek on Big Spring Road (Pa. 274) in Fannett Township was replaced and reopened earlier this month. It too will have a bump until the deck overlay is applied in spring.

For more information visit www.PARapidBridges.com. The Fort McCord Road bridge is labeled as JV-251. For more information about the public private partnership visit www.P3forPA.pa.gov.