PennDOT resumes plan to replace I-80 Canoe Creek bridges

From staff reports

With a plan to toll various bridges in the state now dead due to legal challenges, PennDOT announced recently it has resumed planning work and federal environmental reviews for six bridge replacement projects proposed as part of the Major Bridge Public-Private Partnership (MBP3).

A Categorical Exclusion Reevaluation is being prepared for the Interstate 80 Canoe Creek Bridges Project to evaluate and document how the project would affect the surrounding community’s quality of life, including health, safety, cultural resources, environmental resources and more

Approval of the CE Reevaluation is anticipated this fall.

The I-80 Canoe Creek Bridges, which cross over Canoe Creek and Tippecanoe Road (State Route 4005) in Beaver Township were built in 1966. Recent inspections show the westbound bridge is in poor condition, and the eastbound bridge is in fair condition.

The purpose of this project is to provide a safe and reliable crossing of I-80 over Tippecanoe Road and Canoe Creek. The proposed project involves replacing the existing structures and updating the roadway within the project limits to meet current design standards and improve safety along the corridor.

Through the National Environmental Policy Act environmental review process, the I-80 Canoe Creek Bridges Project was approved as a CE in April 2020, and the project team was permitted to move forward with final design and right-of-way acquisition.

In November 2020, the MBP3 was proposed by PennDOT and approved by the Pennsylvania P3 Board, which includes representatives from all four legislative caucuses, to rehabilitate or replace major Interstate bridges using toll revenues, providing PennDOT with a means of addressing the state’s growing backlog of needs without using or impacting the funding for PennDOT’s larger program.

In February 2021, PennDOT announced nine candidate bridge projects, including the I-80 Canoe Creek Bridges Project, for inclusion in the program.

An Environmental Assessment was prepared to study the potential impacts related to tolling and toll diversion in accordance with NEPA. The EA was made available for public comment on April 19 and a public hearing was held on May 4.

In July 2022, the General Assembly amended the state’s P3 law to remove tolling as a means of funding the MBP3. This means PennDOT will have to reallocate currently programmed state funds and federal funds now available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which will result in the deferral or elimination of some projects in the 2023 12-Year Program.

PennDOT entered into a Pre-Development Agreement with Bridging Pennsylvania Partners to advance preliminary design work for the MBP3 bridges. The PDA will lead to separate contracts to finalize design, build, finance and maintain packages of bridges in the MBP3, including the I-80 Canoe Creek Bridges. PennDOT will repay the amounts financed by the development entity through recurring availability payments over 30 years, beginning when construction is complete.

For more local news, visit TheClarionNews.com.

From staff reports

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