Rt 191 “Stites Tunnel” Bridge Replacement to Begin in Pocono Township Jan 2nd, 2019

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Engineering District 5 announced today work to replace the PA 191 “Stites Tunnel” Bridge over Paradise Creek in Pocono Township, Monroe County will begin next month.

Work includes replacing the PA 191 Bridge over Paradise Creek and bridge roadway approach structures, installing new guide rail and line paint, and concrete repairs to the roadway tunnel under the Delaware Lackawanna Railroad.

Work is scheduled to begin on January 2, with detours anticipated to be implemented on January 7.

Starting January 7 and lasting through the completion of the project, PA 191 will be closed and detoured between PA 447 and Stites Mountain Road. The posted passenger vehicle detour utilizes PA 715 and Clubhouse/Cherry Lane Road. A separate posted truck detour routes truck traffic on PA 447 and PA 390.

H&K Group, Inc. of Skippack, PA is the general contractor on the $8,087,885 project that is anticipated to be complete in late December 2019.

The PA 191 Bridge is a steel girder bridge that was constructed in 1911 and reconstructed in 1941. It is 533 feet long, 35 feet wide, and is posted with a 9-ton weight restriction (17-tons for combination vehicles). The new bridge will be a concrete box culvert that is 345 feet long, 33 feet wide and will have no restrictions. This section of PA 191 has an average daily traffic volume of 5,147 vehicles.