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A plan to replace the bridge that carries the Canadian National/Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad over U.S. Highway 6N and widen the roadway in Erie County's Springfield Township is being proposed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).

The purpose of the effort is to improve the road near and under the bridge as well as increase the vertical and horizontal clearances for traffic beneath the structure, located in the far northwestern portion of the state.

Currently, the U.S. 6N lanes approaching and passing underneath the span vary from 9-ft.-5-in. to 15 ft., in width while the shoulders vary from zero to 8 ft., PennDOT noted. The planned upgrades will expand the roadway by building 12-ft. lanes and 8-ft. shoulders throughout the corridor.

These improvements will allow for the use of this portion of U.S. 6N as a detour route for Interstate 90 as needed, the agency said in an Aug. 9 news release.

The railroad bridge is located above U.S. 6N between the intersection with Old Albion Road and the intersection with Sanford Road, just south of I-90, near the Ohio state border.

PennDOT noted that the work will not only include replacing the existing railroad span with a single-span steel multi-girder bridge, but also widen the two-lane highway on both sides of the structure, perform pipe and channel realignment, pave approximately 600 ft. of the highway, and update guiderail and pavement markings.

Construction is expected to occur during the 2027 season.

A detour will be required during construction and is expected to be in place at various times for approximately nine months. The proposed 21-mi. detour route will be posted using U.S. 6N, Pennsylvania Highway 18 and Interstate 90.

A temporary rail line, known as a shoofly, will be used to provide a runaround for the railroad while the proposed permanent rail structure is constructed.

The existing single-span concrete encased rolled steel I-beam railroad bridge was built in 1930 and is presently classified by PennDOT as being in poor condition. Approximately six trains a day (three during the day and three at night) use the structure.

Additionally, the state agency said that, on average, approximately 2,300 vehicles a day use the roadway under the bridge, of which 5 percent are trucks. The current vertical clearance for traffic under the bridge is 14 ft.-7 in.

PennDOT invites the public to view more details about the U.S. 6N Railroad Bridge proposal via the department's online project page, which includes a handout, self-guided presentation, digital plans, and an online comment form. It will be open until Aug. 23 and can be accessed by visiting the PennDOT District 1 website, www.penndot.pa.gov/District1 under the Design and Construction Projects link.

The purpose of the plans display is to introduce the project and receive public input regarding any questions or concerns. It is also an opportunity for the public to review and comment on the construction's potential effect upon Cultural Resources pursuant to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's 36 CFR Part 800 regulations implementing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

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