In the fall the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission announced its plans to replace two bridges on Route 476 over the next five years. The bridges are commonly known as the Hawk Falls Bridge and the Hickory Run Bridge.

The project, which is estimated to cost $65 million, will include the replacement of the three-span deck truss Hickory Run Bridge. This bridge carries two lanes of traffic in each direction over Mud Run in both Penn Forest and Kidder townships. The new bridge will be wide enough to include shoulders in each direction. The Hickory Run Bridge is 738 feet long.The Hawk Falls Bridge is much shorter at 111 feet and is a three-span, mainline bridge which carries traffic over Route 534 in Kidder Township.The project is currently in the design phase with construction slated to begin in 2017. The construction phase will last until mid-2020.Since the project will span Hickory Run State Park, the Turnpike Commission has been in contact with the Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources during the design phase.In a letter to Carbon County administrator Eloise Ahner, the commission states that a meeting will be scheduled with public officials to discuss the temporary and permanent impacts the project will have on the park.Residents interested in viewing information or updates on the project can go to the commission's website at

www.patpconstruction.com/mpA89.