​Layton Bridge Projects

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Overview 

The Layton Bridge carries Layton Road (State Route 4038) over the Youghiogheny River and River Trail in Perry Township, Fayette County.  A preservation project on the bridge and tunnel is occurring between the 2022 and 2023 construction seasons.  A future project includes the proposed replacement of the Layton Bridge as well as replacement of the single-span, single-lane bridge carrying Layton Road over Washington Run, and improvements to the associated roadway connecting these two structures.  Both bridges were originally designed and utilized by a railroad. 

As the Layton Bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), we must adhere to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. 

Preservation Project 2022

While the larger project continues through design, to allow the structure to continue to safely carry traffic for the immediate future, a separate project is occurring between the 2022 and 2023 construction seasons. 

The preservation project includes the Layton Bridge and Layton Tunnel.  The scope of work consists of repairing masonry elements at both portals of the tunnel, installing additional riser beams on the bridge floor system, mitigating deficiencies to the bridge timber sidewalk, repairing, or replacing bridge joints, and performing any miscellaneous concrete and steel repairs to the bridge deck, superstructure, and substructure.

The repairs requiring the closure of the tunnel and bridge in the Summer of 2022 have been completed.  The roadway reopened to traffic on August 27, 2022.  Additional repairs were identified and occurred in early 2023.  Future bridge inspections will occur, and repairs completed, as needed, until the replacement project is completed.  Public notification will occur through press releases as traffic impacts are anticipated.

Replacement Project 2025

This project has substantially completed the Section 106 Historic Structure process in the Preliminary Engineering phase.  To that end, the project team has completed efforts and submitted the Historic Bridge Rehabilitation Analysis (HBRA) and the Alternatives Analysis.  A Letter of Agreement with the Federal Highway Administration, the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office, and PennDOT was fully executed on September 30, 2022 for mitigation of adverse effects created by the replacement of the Layton Bridge.

The preferred alternative recommended in the Alternatives Analysis, and being carried forward into the Preliminary Engineering Phase, involves the replacement of the existing Layton Bridge with a new bridge just to the east of the existing bridge.  This will allow the existing bridge to remain open during construction. 

The Preliminary Engineering Phase of the project commenced in May of 2021.  Detailed survey and mapping of the project corridor was completed in the Fall of 2021.  Conceptual alignments were evaluated in advance of setting the Preliminary Line, Grade & Typical Section of the roadway.  Further development of Preliminary Roadway Plans and Bridge Concepts are ongoing.  Preliminary Engineering is planned to be finished in 2023 followed by Final Design and Right-Of-Way acquisition.  Funding is programmed to begin construction in late 2025. 

For further information please see the Project Informational Handout.

Existing Structure Pictures