The U.S. Route 219 Bradford bypass northbound bridges over Elm
and Main streets will be demolished, starting Monday.

According to officials with the Pennsylvania Department of
Transportation on Thursday, crews will begin knocking down the Elm
Street bridge on Monday, forcing the closure of the street during
working hours.

Meanwhile, the Main Street bridge will take its turn, likely
starting on Wednesday. Main Street will also be closed in the
vicinity of the bridge during working hours.

Officials said in both instances, a short-term detour will be in
effect at those locations and traffic will be re-routed.

Last year, crews worked on demolishing the southbound sections
of the bridges along the bypass – causing some traffic to be backed
up onto side streets around the city. The work on the Main Street
bridge is near one of the busiest intersections in the city, where
Main and Davis streets meet.

In tearing down the southbound bridges, crews worked from 7 a.m.
to 7 p.m. last year. All told, there are six bridges along the
stretch of bypass through the Tuna Valley.

Motorists will find the going a little easier, however, as
PennDOT officials said the southbound off-ramp at Forman Street is
now open to traffic, and will remain so throughout the duration of
the project.

Crews had been working in that area over the past few weeks.

Officials also said the traffic configurations to the north of
Mill Street on the bypass will remain the same next week.

Last Thursday, officials announced that a major traffic pattern
switch was in the cards for the bypass, which included placing
southbound traffic onto the newly-completed southbound lanes
between Owens Way and Mill Street. Traffic is expected to be in
that configuration for a month or so.

Crews were busy in the early portion of this year’s construction
season finishing up paving on the new southbound lanes. The new
traffic configuration is allowing work to be performed on the
northbound lanes.

Paving work will continue next week on the southbound lanes and
interchange ramps along the bypass.

Officials also announced the following ramps will be closed next
week: all southbound on-and off-ramps at Kendall and Seaward
avenues. Detour signs will be in place.

Meanwhile, the following ramps will remain open: all northbound
and southbound ramps at Owens Way; northbound off-ramp at Elm
Street; southbound on-ramp at Elm Street; southbound on-ramp at Elm
Street; northbound on-ramp at Forman Street; southbound off-ramp at
Forman Street; northbound on-and off-ramps at Kendall Avenue; and
all ramps at Bolivar Drive.

Traffic will be in that configuration until further notice. All
work is weather and schedule dependent.