Uniontown, PA—Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 12 today announced the reopening of the McCray Robb Bridge, which carries Route 711 (Crawford Avenue) over the Youghiogheny River between First Street and Arch Street in the City of Connellsville, Fayette County.
The bridge, which separates the east and west sides of Connellsville, is a critical component of the community. It originally closed on January 9 to allow the $11.7M infrastructure rehabilitation investment to proceed. Crews replaced the superstructure, widened the roadway, and added a shared-use path, allowing for safe pedestrian and bicycle access. These improvements extend the structure's life, improve safety, and benefit residents' needs.
District Executive Rachel Duda spoke at a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the city this afternoon on Veterans Day. The ceremony was a fitting tribute to the bridge's namesake, McCray Robb, who was not only a courageous Civil War veteran but also a dedicated police officer in Connellsville.
“I extend my heartfelt thanks to all veterans, in addition to honoring the PennDOT civil servants, who brought this new bridge to life," said Duda. Assistant District Executive for Design Jeremy Hughes, Project Manager Gary Ferrari, Assistant District Executive for Construction William Beaumariage, Assistant Construction Engineer Dominic Caruso, and Inspector in Charge Ryan Willby lead the project.
“These committed employees work hard, every day, to improve our lives and our communities in southwestern Pennsylvania with safe and sound transportation infrastructure," said Duda, “I must also thank the City of Connellsville, which was a key collaborator and supportive partner throughout the entire process."
“What made this process so remarkable was how every step kept resources circulating within the community, thanks to the consultants, contractors, and skilled crafts- and tradesmen and women on the job," acknowledged Beaumariage. “From design to raw materials to construction, each dollar invested went back into the local economy, supporting families and businesses in Connellsville."
The lead design firm on the project was Alfred Benesch and Company of Pottsville, the prime contractor was Mosites Construction and Development Company of Pittsburgh, and the prime consultant inspector was CDR Maguire of Warrendale.
For additional information, please see the Crawford Avenue Bridge Rehabilitation page on District 12's website, under the Design and Construction Projects section, Fayette County tile.
Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices by calling 5-1-1 or following regional X alerts.
Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District12.
Information about infrastructure in District 12, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.pa.gov/D12Results. Find PennDOT's planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Laina Aquiline, laquiline@pa.gov or 724-415-3748
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