Pennsylvania Announces Weight Restrictions on 1,000 Bridges

Pennsylvania highway officials say they’re adding or increasing weight restrictions on some 1,000 bridges, a decision prompted by safety and preservation concerns.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced the initiative on Thursday, less than two months after proposals to increase taxes and fees to improve highway, bridge and mass transit infrastructure stalled in the Legislature.

The decision applies to 530 state-owned bridges and about 470 locally-owned bridges.

Pennsylvania has nearly 4,500 structurally deficient bridges, the most of any state.

Transportation Secretary Barry Schoch says the weight limits will remain in place for some time, even if new funding gets approved this fall. The new weight limits will begin to be posted next week.