HARRISBURG, Pa. – The construction work to mill and pave the State Street bridge in Harrisburg this weekend has again been postponed to the following weekend due to the forecast of rain over the next several days. Paving operations with hot asphalt should not be conducted when it is raining. This is the third weekend in a row that the milling and paving operations have been postponed due to inclement weather.
Weather permitting, the State Street bridge, known officially as the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Bridge located just east of the Capitol Complex in Harrisburg, will now be closed to all traffic from 7 p.m. on Friday, May 20, to 6 a.m. on Monday, May 23. The closure is necessary so that construction crews can mill and repave the roadway surface of the bridge. The milling operation is a mechanical process that removes the old asphalt pavement surface. The old material will be replaced with new asphalt by the paving operation.
Motorists are advised that westbound traffic will be detoured by way of the 13th Street ramp, then right on Cameron Street, left onto Herr Street, and finally left onto 7th Street. Eastbound traffic will be detoured by way of 7th Street, right onto Herr Street, and finally right onto 17th Street.
This work is part of an overall project that began last year to repair and repave seven state-owned roads in the City of Harrisburg. Forster Street and a portion of Commonwealth Avenue and 7th Street were completed last year. Work is currently underway this spring on Walnut, 4th and Mulberry streets, The construction contract also includes a small stretch of road known as the 7th Street bypass that runs under the west end of the State Street bridge.
PennDOT has contracted with J.D. Eckman, Inc. of Atglen, to conduct these road improvements at a cost of $3,183,888. The overall project is scheduled for completion in September, but the contractor will likely finish ahead of schedule.
