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    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

     

    Innovation to Help Increase Bridge Longevity Moves Forward

    September 19, 2022

    The health of Pennsylvania bridges is a top priority, and PennDOT continues to look for ways to increase the longevity of its more than 25,000 state-owned bridges.  

    Bridge Deck Link Slabs, a State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) innovation, involves using a combination of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) and reinforced steel to connect bridge decks and eliminate deck joints to reduce the damage and deterioration caused by water and de-icing materials leaking into the joints. The advancement of this innovation is being led by Mark Nicholson, district bridge engineer in PennDOT’s District 1, located in the northwestern part of the state. 

    In 2020, District 1 conducted a pilot with Bridge Deck Link Slabs on the SR1009 bridge over Lake Wilhelm in Mercer County. The 181-foot bridge has three spans and was built in 1969. In the 28-day interim period until the asphalt overlay was applied, the link slab showed no signs of cracking or debonding from the adjacent deck and following a bridge inspection in June 2022, the inspectors rated the bridge deck “excellent and the superstructure very good, Nicholson said.”  

    Link slabs are currently being used for a bridge on SR 2102 over Interstate 79. The project is in construction and is expected to be completed this fall, said Nicholson. 

    “Several other PennDOT districts have contacted me with questions on the use of link slabs and are considering them on their bridge projects,” said Nicholson. “In our district, it will become a standard practice to consider them on all bridge projects, where applicable.” 

    Currently, link slab installation on bridges should be funded through Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) funding. Installation costs do not typically impact bridge construction projects significantly, said Nicholson. 

    To further advance its usage in Pennsylvania, this innovation also received $40,000 in Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) STIC Incentive Program funding in 2021.  

    “These funds are being used to develop a tool that will help designers evaluate the use of link slabs on their bridge projects,” said Nicholson. “It will analyze the changes to the force effects on the bridge caused by the link slabs and determine if the effects are structurally acceptable, or if additional modifications to the structure are needed.” 

    For more information on STIC innovations, visit PennDOT’s STIC website. 


    ABOUT THIS BLOG

    Did you know PennDOT is directly responsible for nearly 40,000 miles of highway and roughly 25,000 bridges? We oversee programs and policies affecting highways, urban and rural public transportation, airports, railroads, ports and waterways, in addition to administering the state's more than 11 million vehicle registrations and 8.8 million driver's licenses.

    So, how do we do what we do? And how can we help you travel in Pennsylvania — whether it be for business or leisure — in safe and enjoyable manner? Read PennDOT Way to learn more about the department, what we do, and how and why we do it.​

    TAGS

    50-Year Anniversary, 511PA, Aggressive Driving, Airports, Autonomous Vehicles, Bicycles, Bridges, Child Safety, Community Relations, Construction, COVID-19, Distracted Driving, District 1, District 10, District 11, District 12, District 2, District 3, District 4, District 5, District 6, District 8, District 9, DOTcom, Driver and Vehicle Services, Emergency Responders, Employment, Equity, FAQ Friday, Human Trafficking, Impaired Driving, Innovations, Live Free Ride Alive, Maintenance Monday, Motorcycles, Older Drivers, PA Motorcycle Safety Program, Pedestrians, PennDOT Connects, Ports, Public Transit, Railroads, REAL ID, Road MaP, Roadside Beautification, Rural Roads, Safety, School Buses, Seat Belts, State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC), Sustainability, Teen Drivers, Throwback Thursday, Transportation Funding, Travel in PA, Welcome Centers, Winter, Work Smart, Work Zone, Yellow Dot

     

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