The governor said the project to rehabilitate and preserve the Route 51 Beaver-Rochester Bridge - the first project started in the region ARRA funding - will boost the local construction and construction equipment industries and provide jobs.
"This project simply would not have happened if stimulus funds were not available," Rendell said. "As a bonus, 30 to 40 people will be working because of this bridge project."
Rendell said more than $1 billion in federal transportation stimulus funds will supplement the $1.8 billion in work Pennsylvania had already planned for this year.
The Route 51 Beaver-Rochester Bridge, spanning the Beaver River between the cities of Beaver and Rochester, carries approximately 10,000 to 15,000 vehicles per day.
The repair project includes preservation activities, full painting, expansion dam and rocker bearing replacements and steel and concrete repairs. Five ramps rated structurally deficient will be repaired.
Pennsylvania companies led by Mascaro Contracting of Pittsburgh are rebuilding the bridge, including subcontractors Avalotis of Verona, Allegheny County; Strongstown B & K of Strongstown, Indiana County; and Callahan Paving Products of Horsham, Montgomery County.
