Eighteen structurally deficient bridges in Butler County will have new weight restrictions or reductions placed on them.

The limits are part of a statewide effort by the state Department of Transportation to deal with safety and preservation concerns.

PennDOT will begin posting limits on 1,000 bridges across the state next Thursday, according to a news release from the agency.

Transportation officials have begun the process of notifying school-bus operators, emergency-service providers and other officials who might be impacted by the restrictions.

The restrictions are being made due to recent cuts in the state transportation budget, according to PennDOT's news release. Reducing the weight traveling on these bridges will slow down their deterioration while funding remains uncertain.

Of the 18 bridges in the county to get new limits, eight will be state owned and 10 will be locally owned.

State-owned bridges will be posted first, giving time for transportation officials to discuss changes with local bridge owners.

Two bridges in Butler Township will receive new limitations.

McCalmont Road over Connoquenessing Creek will have a 29 ton limit on tractor-trailers and a 26 ton limit on all other vehicles.

Herman Road over Coal Run will have 33 and 40 ton limits.

Ed Kirkwood, the manager of Butler Township, said he was concerned about the type of traffic the regulations could restrict, referencing how McCalmont is near the AK Steel plant.

Kirkwood said he wishes the state would more adequately fund its roads and bridges.

“At some point we have to step up to the plate,” he said. “If they want areas to be viable, they have to reinvest in them.”

Route 308 over Muddy Creek in West Sunbury will have a 30 ton limit.

PennDOT has yet to announce the restrictions on any of the other bridges in the county.

The county already had 50 posted bridges before the announcement. Eleven of the 18 bridges were previously posted.

Pennsylvania has nearly 4,500 structurally deficient bridges, more than any other state.

PennDOT's announcement came less than two months after bills to increase taxes and fees to finance improvements to highway, bridge and mass transit infrastructure stalled in the Legislature.

Both major proposals rely heavily on increasing the state oil company franchise tax by phasing out a cap on the amount of the wholesale price that is subject to the tax. A plan backed by Gov. Tom Corbett would raise $1.8 billion by 2018, while a plan approved by the state Senate would generate $2.5 billion.

The weight limits will begin to be posted next week, a process that will take four to five months.

PennDOT on Thursday listed 18 bridges in Butler County that will carry weight limits or will have their weight limit further cut because of the deteriorating condition of the spans.<B>State-owned bridges </B>✓ Marion Twp — Route 58 over Blacks Creek✓ Clay Twp — Route 308 over Muddy Creek✓ Winfield Twp — West Winfield Road over Rough Run✓ Butler Twp — Herman Road over Coal Run✓ Winfield Twp — Winfield Road over Little Buffalo Creek✓ Clinton Twp — Lardintown Road over Lardintown Run✓ Butler Twp — McCalmont Road over Connoquenessing Creek✓ Forward Twp — Brownsdale Road over Glade Run<B>Locally-owned bridges </B>✓ Cherry Twp — Pipestem Road over Findlay Run✓ Clay Twp — Shroyer Mill Road over Muddy Creek✓ Clearfield Twp — McShane Road over Little Buffalo Run✓ Clinton Twp — Brewer Road over Rocky Run✓ Clinton Twp — Victory Road over Davis Run✓ Marion Twp — Watson Road over Slippery Rock Creek✓ Summit Twp — Geibel Road over Bonnie Brook✓ Worth Twp — Taggart Road over Slippery Rock Creek✓ Butler — West Penn Street over Sullivan Run✓ Petrolia — Nesbit Avenue over South Branch Bear Creek