JACKSON TOWNSHIP — Two upcoming bridge projects were displayed Thursday afternoon for township residents in an open house event.

The meeting at the township municipal building gave residents a chance to voice their opinions and concerns for the projects set for 2017 and 2018.

“That information used for the permitting and design stages of the bridge,” said Daniel Blemler, project engineer for Walsh/Granite.

The two bridges are part of a state program to more quickly deal with deteriorating bridges, known as the Pennsylvania Rapid Bridge Replacement Project.

One of the projects will replace and reconstruct the northbound ramp from Interstate 79 at Exit 85. Construction is scheduled for May 2017 to July 2017.

Traffic will be detoured for the duration of the project.

Motorists will have to use the southbound ramp exiting the Interstate at Little Creek Road (Exit 88). From there, Route 19 through Zelienople would be the quickest way, according to the open house display.

The detour is about 4 miles.

The second project replaces and reconstructs the bridge on Seneca School Road by Seneca Valley Senior High School.

The bridge goes over Little Connoquenessing Creek near the intersection of Seneca School and Little Creek roads.

Construction for this project is scheduled to go from June 2017 to April 2018.

Blemler said one lane will be open for traffic during construction in the summer for this project, similar to the bridge replacement project on Route 68 in Zelienople.

However, when school is in session, two lanes will be open to accommodate school traffic.

Local resident Rob Burr said his main concern with the projects is trespassing by construction vehicles.

“I have property by there and am concerned that they (workers) would go on my property and start parking equipment or make it a dumpsite,” he said. “It’s just whenever they do projects, they’re dumping something and either forget about it or leave it.”

Harmony resident Paul Goehring, who owns property near the future construction sites, shared Burr’s concerns and said the entirety of Seneca School Road should be repaired.

Burr also said widening the road and installing a turning lane at the end of Seneca School Road may be beneficial.

“That bridge is kind of narrow for as much truck traffic and school traffic that go by there,” he said.

Butler County has 11 total projects under the bridge replacement program.

Three were completed last year.

Blemler said the new bridges will have a 100-year design life.

More information on the state Rapid Bridge Replacement Project can be found at http://www.parapidbridges.com.