The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced March 31 that 61 emergency and critical highway and bridge projects will be active statewide this week.

While the normal highway and bridge construction program has paused as the commonwealth addresses COVID-19 response, urgent emergency work has continued to ensure a reliable transportation system as circumstances surrounding COVID-19 continue to unfold.On March 17, in response to Gov. Wolf's COVID-19 mitigation guidance, PennDOT paused construction projects statewide to minimize COVID-19 exposure for PennDOT and private-sector employees, as well as the communities where they live and work. "A safe and reliable transportation network is always of the utmost importance, but it becomes even more crucial in times of crisis," said Acting PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. "We need to ensure that work continues on these critical projects, and we are taking the proper precautions to help ensure the safety of both our employees and our partners in the industry."

For any work activity addressing critical asset issues, strategies are deployed that include cleanliness protocols for job sites and offices, social distancing guidelines, procedures to address employee sickness and the safe handling of material deliveries.The emergency work that continues addresses specific safety need criteria, such as landslide repairs, or critical bridge, tunnel and drainage repairs, and work needed to eliminate roadway restrictions that could impede the ability for the movement of life sustaining goods and services.

Conditions are continuously evaluated to determine the appropriate response. More COVID-19 information is available at www.health.pa.gov. For more information, visit www.dmv.pa.gov or www.PennDOT.gov.