Uniontown, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 12 is reminding all drivers, especially those operating heavy or commercial vehicles, to adhere to posted weight limits on bridges throughout the state. This reminder aims to ensure the safety of all road users and maintain the integrity of Pennsylvania's infrastructure.
Bridges across Pennsylvania play a crucial role in our transportation network, facilitating the movement of goods and people. However, overloading these structures can lead to significant damage, potentially compromising safety and leading to costly repairs. PennDOT implements weight limits for each bridge, which are clearly posted and must be observed by all motorists, to prevent these issues.
"We urge all drivers, especially those behind the wheel of heavy or commercial vehicles including tractor trailers, school buses, garbage trucks, and fire trucks, to be diligent in adhering to posted weight limits,” said PennDOT District Bridge Engineer Mike Miskanin. “This helps protect our infrastructure and ensures that our students and other travelers arrive to their destinations safely."
PennDOT conducts extensive inspections and assessments to ensure that weight postings accurately reflect each bridge's capacity. These postings are determined based on a variety of factors, including the bridge’s age, condition, and design specifications. Violation of these weight limits can lead to fines, legal repercussions, and, more critically, pose serious safety risks.
PennDOT is actively working to educate the public and enhance compliance with these weight restrictions. For more information about weight limits and bridge conditions, please visit https://gis.penndot.pa.gov/paprojects/.
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: Emily Swecker, eswecker@pa.gov or 724-425-3018
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