In a $899-million deal to address the state's aging transportation infrastructure, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Transportation signed a contract on Jan. 12 with Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners to replace 558 bridges by the end of 2017.
"Now that we have a contractor in hand, we can go full-steam ahead," says Erin Waters-Trasatt, PennDOT spokeswoman. She says the plan is to replace 58 bridges in 2015 alone, with construction to begin this spring. PennDOT performed much of the advance work on the first batch of spans, including surveying, utility relocation and permitting. "We've been [working] in the background," says Waters-Trasatt. "We're now reviewing the contractor's plans and schedules."