WARREN — The USDA Forest Service, Allegheny National Forest announced that it would be changing the posted weight limit on nine bridges within the forest. The Federal Highway Administration requires all bridges open to the public to have a current load rating. The Forest Service uses the Federal Highway Administration’s National Bridge Inspection standards for recommendations for bridge weight load changes. For the safety of the public, the 28 road bridges in Allegheny National Forest are scheduled to be inspected to standards on a 24-month cycle. Nine bridges have been reevaluated based on a new analysis of the currently posted load limits. As bridge infrastructure ages, vehicle weights increase, and load rating methodologies change, the load-carrying capacity of a bridge changes. These factors have prompted the need to post certain bridges at loads less than their current posted capacity.
The affected bridges are (Road Name, Drainage Name, New Load Weight Limit):
Funds are on the way to replace the undersized and deficient bridge over Farnsworth Run on Forest Road 154. Through the Forest Service’s Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation Program, with funding made possible through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a replacement bridge will be designed and constructed. Survey and design work is slated for fiscal year 2023 and replacement of the bridge is anticipated in fiscal year 2024. The new bridge will improve water quality and road resilience, and maintain future access to adjacent forest land for the public, contractors, permittees, wildland firefighters, and emergency response officials.
The Forest Service understands that posting bridges at lower load weight limits adds complexities to local communities, commercial activities, and emergency services. It is the Forest Service’s objective that all bridges are able to carry Federal Highway legal-weight loads, however, funding does not allow all bridges to receive the necessary repairs or replacement at this time. The Forest Service is committed to prioritizing bridge repairs and replacements while pursuing funding. The timeline for each bridge and the needed repairs and or replacement is indeterminate.
Details are available from the News Release, $65M invested from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and at the Legacy Roads and Trails Program website.
