P3 Major Bridges, PA
Surveying support for Pennsylvania’s largest bridge P3
AEG, a SOCOTEC Company, provided comprehensive surveying support for Pennsylvania’s largest bridge public-private partnership, a $2.3 billion initiative to replace and rehabilitate aging interstate bridges across the Commonwealth.
Key Information
Project Name: PA P3 Major Bridges
Client: PennDOT / Bridging Pennsylvania Partners, LLC
Location: Statewide, PA
Services Provided: Surveying
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The Challenge
Replacing Aging Infrastructure Across Pennsylvania at Scale
Pennsylvania's aging interstate bridge network required urgent rehabilitation to address structural deficiencies and ensure public safety across the Commonwealth. The challenge was not simply one of engineering, it was one of scale, coordination, and delivery speed.
PennDOT identified 23 structures and over 21 miles of roadway improvements spanning six critical locations statewide. Delivering this infrastructure through a traditional design-bid-build approach would have taken decades.
Instead, PennDOT launched an innovative Design-Build-Finance-Maintain (DBFM) public-private partnership, requiring precise geospatial data across multiple geographically dispersed sites, simultaneously, to support accelerated design and construction timelines.
Key challenges included:
- Coordinating accurate survey data across six geographically dispersed interstate bridge locations
- Supporting an accelerated design-build schedule with rapid mobilization requirements
- Working within active highway corridors with complex safety and access constraints
- Ensuring seamless integration of geospatial deliverables across multiple design and construction teams
- Maintaining data consistency across diverse terrain types, from river crossings to mountain corridors
The Solution
Comprehensive Survey Services Across All Six Bridge Packages
AEG, a SOCOTEC Company, delivered comprehensive survey services to support the design and construction of six bridge packages spanning the state of Pennsylvania.
Survey Services by Location:
- I-81 Susquehanna Bridges (Susquehanna County): AEG’s scope expanded from initial surveys to full support across all six bridge packages.
- I-80 Canoe Creek Bridges (Clarion County): Dual bridge replacement over a three-mile corridor.
- I-78 Lenhartsville Bridge (Berks County): Replacement and widening over Maiden Creek.
- I-80 over Lehigh River (Luzerne & Carbon Counties): Two bridge replacements over a 1.5-mile stretch.
- I-80 Nescopeck Bridges (Luzerne County): Dual bridge replacement over 1.5 miles.
- I-80 North Fork Bridges (Jefferson County): Replacement of multiple structures and culvert extension.
Program-Wide Survey Support:
- Topographic and boundary surveys across all six bridge package locations
- Geodetic control network establishment and verification
- Construction staking and as-built survey support
- Coordination of geospatial deliverables with design-build contractor teams
- Rapid mobilization to support PennDOT's accelerated program schedule
AEG, a SOCOTEC Company, delivered comprehensive survey services to support the design and construction of six bridge packages spanning the state of Pennsylvania.
Survey Services by Location:
- I-81 Susquehanna Bridges (Susquehanna County): AEG’s scope expanded from initial surveys to full support across all six bridge packages.
- I-80 Canoe Creek Bridges (Clarion County): Dual bridge replacement over a three-mile corridor.
- I-78 Lenhartsville Bridge (Berks County): Replacement and widening over Maiden Creek.
- I-80 over Lehigh River (Luzerne & Carbon Counties): Two bridge replacements over a 1.5-mile stretch.
- I-80 Nescopeck Bridges (Luzerne County): Dual bridge replacement over 1.5 miles.
- I-80 North Fork Bridges (Jefferson County): Replacement of multiple structures and culvert extension.
Program-Wide Survey Support:
- Topographic and boundary surveys across all six bridge package locations
- Geodetic control network establishment and verification
- Construction staking and as-built survey support
- Coordination of geospatial deliverables with design-build contractor teams
- Rapid mobilization to support PennDOT's accelerated program schedule
The Results
Surveying Excellence Supporting Pennsylvania's Most Ambitious Bridge Program
Through expert surveying services, AEG, a SOCOTEC Company, supported the successful launch and active progression of one of the most ambitious infrastructure programs in Pennsylvania's history.
Key Outcomes:
- Accurate geospatial data delivered across all six bridge package locations, enabling design and construction teams to meet accelerated timelines
- Program scope expanded from initial I-81 engagement to full six-package support — a direct reflection of AEG's performance and client confidence
- Construction began on schedule in July 2023 and is actively progressing at all six sites
- Survey deliverables contributed to enhanced safety, connectivity, and long-term infrastructure resilience across the Commonwealth
- Program recognized with multiple industry awards for innovation and financing, including recognition as the largest bundled-bridge P3 ever delivered in the United States
- Long-term maintenance secured through Bridging Pennsylvania Developer I (BPD1) for a period of 35 years, ensuring the lasting value of program infrastructure
