JACKSON TWP — Construction on the Seneca School Road bridge near the entrance to Seneca Valley School District's secondary campus will begin soon and limit traffic to one lane in that area.

The road will be down to one lane starting June 5, when construction starts on the bridge that is just north of the school's entrance. Traffic will alternate and be controlled by a light at each end of the bridge, said Jeff Rossi, public information coordinator with Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners.

The bridge, which sits over the Little Connoquenessing Creek, is being replaced as part of PennDOT's Rapid Bridge Replacement Project, a public-private partnership with Plenary Walsh. The project aims to replace 558 structurally deficient bridges statewide.

Traffic will go back to two lanes on Sept. 4, Rossi said, the day before Seneca Valley starts its 2017-18 school year.

The bridge is going from a two-lane bridge with one eastbound and one westbound lane to a three-lane bridge with a new right-turn lane into Seneca Valley's secondary schools campus.

As part of an agreement with PennDOT and Plenary Walsh, the school district agreed to end the 2016-2017 school year early and start the next school year late to give the workers as much time as possible for construction without heavy school bus and car traffic, said Linda Andreassi, school district communications director. Seneca Valley will have its last day of school for students on Wednesday.

In return, PennDOT agreed to create a right-turning lane eastbound on Seneca School Road leading to the main entrance to the secondary campus.

For the first part of the project, crews will build two lanes of the new bridge, the new turn lane and the center lane, while the existing lane is used for traffic, Rossi said. When those lanes are complete, they will be opened, and the remaining lane will be replaced.

The project should be complete in mid-to-late October, Rossi said.

Andreassi said they do not anticipate any issues with the bridge construction and traffic at the school from summer sports and other activities.

“However, we do suggest people give themselves extra time if they are reporting to the secondary campus for an activity as traffic restrictions will be in place,” she said.