From staff reports

LEWISTOWN — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced the following schedule of maintenance activities in Mifflin County the week of Oct. 13. PennDOT performs year-round maintenance in its mission to provide a safe, efficient transportation system and while crews will be off on Monday in observance of Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day, the scope of work in Mifflin County for the remainder of the week is as follows:

Bridge maintenance and cleaning

• Route 322 starting approximately five miles west of the Burnham exit and continuing westbound approximately 10 miles Tuesday and Wednesday. PennDOT will implement single-lane closures while this work is completed;

• Route 1005 (Main Street) at a bridge spanning Buck Run in Burnham Borough Friday. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours and may deploy a pilot vehicle. When encountering a pilot vehicle with a “Pilot Car Follow Me” sign mounted on the rear and a revolving yellow light, drivers must remain behind it until it has left the roadway. Do not pass.

Pennsylvania has some of the oldest bridges in the country, with an age of more than 50 years on average. Preventive maintenance is vital in extending the life of the structures. As such, PennDOT maintenance crews perform some bridge deck patching and structural repairs.

Pipe replacement and cleaning

• Route 522 between Guss Road and County Line Road in Decatur Township. Wednesday, October 15, through Friday, October 17. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours and may deploy a pilot vehicle. When encountering a pilot vehicle with a “Pilot Car Follow Me” sign mounted on the rear and a revolving yellow light, drivers must remain behind it until it has left the roadway. Do not pass.

• Route 2004 (Back Maitland Road) approximately 220 feet west of Mountain View Drive in Derry Township. Tuesday, October 14. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours and may deploy a pilot vehicle. When encountering a pilot vehicle with a “Pilot Car Follow Me” sign mounted on the rear and a revolving yellow light, drivers must remain behind it until it has left the roadway. Do not pass.

Pipe replacement and cleaning are essential in maintaining water flow around state roadways. Controlling water flow is one of the most important aspects of maintaining pavements. Uncontrolled water flow will damage both the pavement surface and the area under the pavement, which causes deterioration across the length of the pipe.

Shoulder maintenance

• Route 4007 (Jack’s Mountain Road) starting at Kansas Road and continuing northbound approximately 1.5 miles. Tuesday, October 14, through Friday, October 17. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours and may deploy a pilot vehicle. When encountering a pilot vehicle with a “Pilot Car Follow Me” sign mounted on the rear and a revolving yellow light, drivers must remain behind it until it has left the roadway. Do not pass.

Shoulder cutting removes excess material and debris from unpaved shoulder areas. Shoulder grading involves the shaping and stabilizing of those same areas. Both operations improve drainage, allow water to leave the roadway, and eliminate shoulder drop-offs. These are crucial highway maintenance operations because when drainage systems do not function properly, water collects on the road, weakens pavement, accelerates the formation of potholes, and creates the potential for icing conditions in the winter months.

This schedule is subject to change due to weather conditions, emergencies, or other unforeseen interruptions.

Customers can report road concerns by calling 1-800-FIX-ROAD. If calling after hours, please leave a name and phone number.

For more information on PennDOT’s maintenance activities, visit www.PennDOT.pa.gov/about-us/maintenanceactivities.