Storms stall progress on Kittanning Citizens Bridge

It might take longer than expected before two-way traffic resumes on the Kittanning Citizen's Bridge.

A rainy summer has slowed PennDOT's rehabilitation of the 82-year-old bridge, which has been limited to one lane. Though it was originally supposed to reopen in early October, traffic restrictions are expected to last until Halloween, project manager Nate Adams said.

The $4.7 million rehabilitation project includes painting and structural repairs to the bridge and its approach in Kittanning.

It's been a really humid, wet and difficult summer, Adams said. We may have tarps up, but they aren't waterproof, so the heavy rains soak everything and make it so we can't paint.

The tarpaulins also turn the work site into a greenhouse, making the air hot, while the bridge remains cool. It causes condensation to form on the bridge, making it difficult to paint, Adams said.

The bridge serves as one of the town's main throughways, bringing traffic from Market Street in Kittanning to Butler Road in West Kittanning. Each day, about 15,000 cars cross the bridge, which spans the Allegheny River, according to PennDOT.

Currently, vehicles can cross the bridge from Kittanning into West Kittanning.

Traffic from West Kittanning into Kittanning has been rerouted along Butler Road to Franklin Hill Road, past the Franklin Village Mall and Hilltop Plaza, and onto Route 422 eastbound. That takes traffic across its bridge over the Allegheny. Motorists can get into Kittanning by taking Route 422 Exit B onto South Water Street.

Contractors are applying a final coat of paint to the closed side of the bridge.

By the end of this month, crews plan to work on the other side of the bridge, but the detour and lane restrictions won't change.

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Storms stall progress on Kittanning Citizens Bridge