Section of GAP closed during bridge work

A section of the Great Allegheny Passage will be temporarily closed while three bridges will be getting a new look over the next couple of months.

As recommended by P. Joseph Lehman Inc., Consulting Engineers, Somerset County Commissioners awarded a bid at Tuesday's regular meeting to CriLon Corp. with the low bid of $2,438,960.46. The contractor hoped to get started demolishing the three bridges Nov. 1, but has to wait for a waterway permit from the Department of Environmental Protection. The permit is to allow them to work over the Casselman River.

"We are looking at pre-formed concrete," said Commissioner Gerald Walker. "We need to look at longevity. We wanted it to last many lifetimes."

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"The project has been going on for three years. We were looking into a different decking to be used, then COVID hit and that threw everything off in timing," said Lindsay Baer, parks and trails director. "It's really been needed along the GAP. The last time the bridges were re-decked was in 1995. They have become almost unsafe to be used."

The new bridges will be made of prefabricated concrete slabs. There are 41 structures along the GAP.

"We didn't want wood decking because it's not the best for long term," she said. "They are going to be very similar to the viaduct. My hope is that they won't have to be refixed in my lifetime."

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The three bridges are Pinkerton High Bridge, Pinkerton Low Bridge and Harnedsville Bridge.

"We're closing the trail from Markleton, 9 miles to Harnedsville during the project," Baer said. "The contractor is planning to come in and demoing the bridges all at once. We're ready to go, but have to wait on DEP waterway permit and hope it will come any day."

Baer said because the bridges will be out, that section of the trail can't be used at all during this time.

"There will be heavy truck traffic along those sections, making it extremely dangerous along the trail," she said. "With snow and ice, that will be even more dangerous for people to be on the trail."

Depending on the weather once the project gets started, Baer said she is hoping to have the bridges done within two months.

"We always want to make sure we're not interfering with the summer months when people are riding the trail, so we have a very short time frame to get the work done," she said. "It is a major project, but after the work is done, it will be worth it. We've been putting a band aid on the last several years. We're at the point where we can't do that anymore."

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Baer said another project will be going on at the other end of the trail. Five miles of the trail between Warren's Mill and Meyersdale will be getting resurfaced. Nov. 1 is the bid opening date. Work on the project will start after that.

"During that time there will be heavy truck traffic in the area," Baer said.

She recommends trail users stay up to date on the construction status by following the posts on Facebook, Somerset County Parks and Recreation.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: GAP section to be closed during bridge work