With the 2020 season behind us and the start of the 2021 season kicking off a sense of normalcy has returned to the Venango 8 job.  The start of the second year of this two-year project went as well as could be expected starting any construction project.  There were no suspensions of work due to COVID, or no scrambling to find hand wash stations, sanitizer, masks or disinfectants.  We were able to simply go back to work and do our jobs.

The second year of the project consists of making the required repairs to the southbound lanes of the divided highway along with work at the northern and southern end of the undivided highway.  Crews under the leadership of Project Super Nick Yetter have been working to complete the project this fall.  Foreman Tom Kleintop and crew have worked to replace multiple cross pipes throughout the roadway.  Now that these have been completed, Tom and his crew have moved on to continuing the work on the design build pipe crossings using Snaptite pipe liners.

Foreman Steve Swineford and his crew have been working on the reconstruct areas throughout the project, as well as the removal of concrete islands in the southern section.  They also have provided support for the break and seat operation that was completed in June.

Foreman Matt Shall and crew will complete the paving work on the southern portion of the divided Highway placing the final wearing at the beginning of July with Foreman Brad Shaffer’s crew preforming echelon paving of the lanes. Milling support for paving operations has been by Foreman Darvin Imes and crew.  In addition has performed concrete patching in the unbroken portion of the concrete roadway with Foreman Ryan Hamer’s crew.  In addition to the work performed by GOH crews, Palo will be working on four bridge structures this year and JC Lee will complete the parallel pipe runs and inlet construction.

By the completion of the project, GOH will have placed 170,000 tons of asphalt material out of the Grove City plant.  A total of 90,000 LF of drainage work will be completed by GOH and subcontractors and 7 bridge structures will be rehabbed.  The total cost for the project is currently $33,920,000 with a projected completion date of 10/29/2021.