Butler County was awarded more than $2.5 million from the Multimodal Transportation Fund to repair five structurally deficient bridges in Penn and Jefferson townships, according to a news release from the state Tuesday, Dec. 23.

The county will receive $2,565,200 for construction. The funds are part of more than $47 million allocated across 34 counties in the multimodal program, which is facilitated by PennDOT.

Mark Gordon, the county’s planning commission chairman, clarified the county will provide a 30% match for each project of around $600,000, bringing the total invested to about $3.2 million.

“We do a very, very good job of the maintenance of those bridges,” Gordon said.

Three bridges in Jefferson Township and two in Penn Township will undergo repairs.

In Jefferson Township, the first bridge is on Burtner Road about 400 feet from Saxonburg Road. Burtner Road connects Saxonburg Road to Route 356.

The second bridge is located near the Jefferson Township Municipal Building on Saxonburg Road in the area of Great Belt Road and Frazier Road. The third bridge is located on O’Hara Road about 200 feet from Dinnerbell Road.

In Penn Township, the first bridge is on Woodland Road beside Dutchtown Road, and the second is located on Powell Road near Brownsdale Road.

Kevin Gray, the county’s bridge engineer, said the bridges were built in the 1980s and ’90s using square concrete beams. When water seeps into the beams during adverse weather, the freezing and thawing causes the beam to expand.

His 5-person crew plans to replace the concrete beams with galvanized steel beams and add a new concrete deck, which should allow the bridge to continue another 50 years without maintenance.

Construction on the bridges, in accordance with the grant requirements, should be finished in three years.

Gordon said the bridges in question could have up to 200 safety measurements, and one failed measurement can result in a poor condition status. He said damage to structures on the sides of the bridge from vehicle crashes could also cause a poor rating.

For repairs, the county would prioritize the bridges in the poorest condition, Gordon said.

The multimodal fund provides grant funding to municipalities, governments, businesses, economic development organizations, public transportation agencies and others to improve, assess and enhance safety and access.

PennDOT will begin accepting applications for the next round of grants at 8 a.m. Jan. 5. Applications are due by 4 p.m. Feb. 13.