November 6, 2025

Box culverts enhance ecosystem resilience for PA bridge replacement

Box culverts enhance ecosystem resilience for PA bridge replacement

The Situation

Located in Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Lackawanna County, Elmhurst Township is a small community intersected by State Route 435, a key connector to I-84 and the nearby towns of Scranton and Moscow.

Along its path, SR 435 crosses the heavily used Delaware Lackawanna Railroad and a tributary of Roaring Brook before passing over Roaring Brook itself – designated as a Class A Wild Trout Water feeding into the Lackawanna River.

The existing structures—a monolithic concrete and plate girder railroad bridge and a reinforced concrete arch—were assessed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) as structurally deficient due to signs of significant deterioration. As a result, replacement was necessary to maintain the safety and reliability of the infrastructure for the traveling public.

 

The Challenge

As part of the SR 435 bridge replacements, additional improvements were required along Front Street and within the existing railroad drainage system to safely relocate traffic to a temporary roadway during construction.

Relocating traffic created new demands on this section of roadway, requiring upgrades to handle increased traffic volume. This included replacing the worn concrete pipes under Front Street and two aging box culverts beneath the railroad.

This reconstruction effort presented several challenges, including working adjacent to an active railroad, protecting a sensitive local river tributary, and operating within tight site constraints and difficult terrain.

 

The Solution

As part of the design strategy, PennDOT specified the use of precast concrete box culverts to preserve the natural flow of the tributary feeding into Roaring Brook, while minimizing environmental disruption. Precast culverts were selected for their proven durability, structural integrity, and efficiency in installation—qualities that support design lifespans exceeding 100 years.

To further align with environmental objectives, the culverts were designed with integrated baffles, allowing for the placement of natural streambed material within the structure. This feature helps maintain aquatic habitat continuity and supports the ecological health of the waterway.

PennDOT engaged Susquehanna Valley Construction Corporation (SVCC) to execute the construction phase of the project. SVCC selected Oldcastle Infrastructure as the preferred precast supplier, with all components manufactured at Oldcastle’s Telford, Pennsylvania facility, located just north of Philadelphia.

“As the contractor, it was critical that the culvert sections and hardware were delivered on time, in the requested sequence, and that all sections fit together seamlessly. Oldcastle Infrastructure’s shop drawings were precise and accounted for the tight field conditions between the staged box culvert installation and the railroad relocation.

Oldcastle Infrastructure not only delivered a high-quality product that met the project’s needs but also provided an experienced technician to properly install the post-tensioning elements on the day of assembly.

Oldcastle Infrastructure’s quality products and knowledgeable support enabled SVCC to successfully complete all contractual requirements for Front Street and the staged railroad box culverts.”

– Atlee Eshleman, Engineer, Susquehanna Valley Construction Corporation

The Outcome:

The project required two precast concrete box culverts to complete this initial phase of improvements:

  • Culvert 1: 7’ x 14’ opening, 38’ long and was used to replace the aging concrete pipes beneath Front Street.
  • Culvert 2: 7’ x 14’ opening – with a slightly thicker roof to accommodate railroad loading – 90’ long and was used to replace the deteriorated culverts under the railroad.

Installation of the second culvert was completed in two stages, coordinated closely with the railroad relocation to ensure uninterrupted rail operations.

This streamlined precast box culvert solution highlights the strength, durability, and precision of Oldcastle Infrastructure’s modern concrete systems.

Beyond improving the structural integrity—and therefore the safety—of the local transportation network, these new culverts also provided environmental benefits by maintaining and protecting the local aquatic ecosystem.

“The first priority for any project should always be safety, but projects like this remind us that if we select the right solution, we can deliver a range of benefits. Our box culverts not only provide a safe, solid base to upgrade local transport infrastructure but also serve to protect and maintain part of the local ecosystem.”

– Emily Schneider, VP of EHS & Sustainability, Oldcastle Infrastructure

 

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