Sep 18, 2014 2 min read

Washington County will soon be seeking bids from engineering firms to design replacement bridges in Buffalo Township, McMurray and at Washington County fairgrounds.

The bridges include Buffalo Creek Bridge No. 29, off Route 221, which is restricted to a 3-ton limit; Chartiers Creek Bridge No. 12, North Strabane Township at the entrance to Canonsburg Lake, which has a higher limit; and the pedestrian bridge to Washington County fairgrounds in Arden, Chartiers Township.

Lisa Cessna, executive director of the Washington County Planning Commission, said 80 percent of the cost of designing the bridges will be paid for by state taxpayers while Washington County’s liquid fuels allocation will pay for the remainder.

She planned earlier this year to seek a grant for the fairgrounds project, but the state was funding only projects for which designs were completed.

The trolley passenger platform and adjacent bridge should be more spacious under the new plans. Enlarging the platform will allow for the construction of a covered kiosk and a stop for two trolley cars in each direction.

Oil and gas revenues from wells beneath the fairgrounds began producing in December will provide at least the money needed to complete the design of the pedestrian bridge project.

The commissioners Wednesday approved the request for proposals by a 3-0 vote.