News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 6, 2026

MEDIA CONTACT: Jill Harry, jharry@pa.gov or 814-678-5035

PennDOT, Mercer County Announces Update on the Proposal to Remove Ohl Street Bridge in Greenville Borough

Oil City, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Mercer County invite the public to view the plans for a project to remove the bridge that carries Ohl Street over the Shenango River in Greenville Borough, Mercer County.

The Ohl Street Bridge to be removed is located approximately 1,200 feet east of the intersection between Ohl Street and Route 18.

Plans include the creation of a temporary causeway, removal of the bridge deck, trusses, and pier. The bridge abutments, or support walls, will remain in place. As part of the construction project, permanent protective safety barriers and signs will be installed on the east and west approaches. The bridge and pier removal will return the site to an open channel section of the river having a bank-to-bank width of approximately 100 feet.

The existing Pratt through-truss bridge was built in 1908. It is rated in poor condition and was closed in 2009 to pedestrian and vehicular traffic due to deterioration. In 2025, the river under the bridge was closed to the public due to safety concerns.

The bridge is owned by Mercer County.

Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966 requires transportation projects take into consideration the effects the project may have on public parks and recreational lands, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and historic sites that are eligible for or listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

Three Section 4(f) resources are present in the project area:

• Ohl Street Bridge – Classified as historic; removal of the bridge constitutes a Section 4(f) use of the bridge; conversations are ongoing with local historical societies about possible preservation of parts of the bridge. 
• Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad Greenville Shops – Classified as a historic location; there will be no use of the property.
• Upper Shenango River Water Trail – Designated water trail; currently closed in the area surrounding the bridge and will be reopened to boating at the conclusion of the project.

The online plans display provides opportunity for the public to comment on how the proposed project may impact the activities, features, and attributes of the Section 4(f) properties.

A contract for the work is scheduled to be awarded in 2026.

The public may also view the plans for the Ohl Street Bridge Removal online at www.pa.gov/DOTDistrict1. Information can be found under the Projects Near You option located at the top of the webpage. The project page includes digital copies of the project handout, proposed plans, and a comment form.

Those unable to access the information online may give feedback by contacting PennDOT Project Manager Greg Lindsay at grlindsay@pa.gov or 814-678-7365.

The purpose of the plans display is to introduce the project and receive public input regarding any questions or concerns with the project. It is also an opportunity for the public to review and comment on the project’s potential effect upon Cultural Resources pursuant to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s 36 CFR Part 800 regulations implementing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

The project documents will be made available in alternative languages or formats if requested. If you need translation/interpretation services or have special needs or have special concerns that require individual attention, contact Greg Lindsay, PennDOT Project Manager, at grlindsay@pa.gov or 814-678-7365.

Pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, PennDOT does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. If you feel that you have been denied the benefits of, or participation in a PennDOT program or activity, you may contact the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Equal Opportunity, DBE/Title VI Division at 717-787-5891 or 800-468-4201.

Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties at www.pa.gov/DOTDistrict1. 

Information about infrastructure in District 1, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.pa.gov/D1Results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.

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