Dewberry has announced that the Hunter Station Bridge rehabilitation and replacement project in Tionesta Township, Pennsylvania, has been awarded the Best Use of Technology and Innovation in the medium category in the Northeast region of the 11th annual America’s Transportation Awards competition.

Dewberry served as the prime consultant for the $24.2-million project that replaced the existing bridge that carries U.S. Route 62 over a designated wild and scenic stretch of the Allegheny River. The firm provided preliminary engineering services, including an in-depth inspection of the 1,050-foot-thru-truss bridge to evaluate rehabilitation versus replacement options and direction of the environmental studies necessary to secure NEPA approval.

The bridge is located over a designated wild and scenic stretch of the Allegheny River. Photo courtesy of Dewberry.

The completed project includes innovative safety measures such as high-friction surface treatment, which is a special asphalt mix that enhances traction, and a beveled pavement “safety edge” making vehicles less susceptible to road-departure crashes. Design features and construction techniques that reduced impacts to the sensitive aquatic habitat include a bridge deck drainage system that discharges to infiltration beds on the river banks and the use of single-shaft pier foundations. Prior to construction the endangered mussels located in the direct impact areas of the project were relocated to other suitable habitats within Pennsylvania and several other states.

The annual America’s Transportation Awards competition is sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), Socrata, AAA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The three highest-scoring projects from each region will be included in the Top 12 and compete for the Grand Prize, which will be announced at the AASHTO Annual Meeting in September.