An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in powers of department and local authorities, providing for covered bridge warning signs.

PRINTER'S NO. 2246
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1824
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY DAY, AUGUST 26, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, AUGUST 28, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, in powers of department and local authorities,
providing for covered bridge warning signs.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 6130. Covered bridge warning signs.
(a) Identification of bridges.--
(1) The department shall establish standards determining
when a covered bridge, due to an uneven surface, poses a
reasonable safety risk to pedalcycles and motorcycles. When
determining the standards, an uneven surface includes raised
joints, gaps, depressions, loose planks or other
irregularities that would likely cause loss of control by a
pedalcycle and motorcycle.
(2) Not later than 60 days after the effective date of
this section, the department shall compile an itemized list
of covered bridges, which list shall be organized by county
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and municipality, that meet the standards established by the
department under paragraph (1). The department shall indicate
whether each covered bridge on the list is owned by the
department or a local authority and shall publish the list on
the department's publicly accessible Internet website.
(3) The department shall, in accordance with the
standards adopted under paragraph (1) and not less than once
annually, remove or add covered bridges to the list required
under paragraph (2) and update the list published on the
department's publicly accessible Internet website.
(b) Notification.--Not later than 60 days after publication
of the list under subsection (a)(2) and subsequent placement of
a covered bridge on the list under subsection (a)(3), the
department shall notify a local authority of covered bridges
owned by the local authority meeting the standards established
by the department under subsection (a).
(c) Signage.--The department shall adopt standards for the
uniform design and conspicuous placement of signs providing
advanced warning to pedalcycles and motorcycles entering a
covered bridge that is contained in the list under subsection
(a).
(d) Required installation.--A covered bridge added to the
list under subsection (a) shall have conspicuous signs placed at
the entrances of the covered bridge as follows:
(1) Not later than 60 days after publication of the list
or subsequent placement of the covered bridge owned by the
department on the list under subsection (a), the department
shall install conspicuous signage placed at the entrances of
the covered bridge in accordance with the standards adopted
under subsection (c).
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(2) Not later than 60 days after receipt of the
notification under subsection (b), the local authority shall
install conspicuous signage at the entrances of the covered
bridge owned by the local authority in accordance with the
standards adopted under subsection (c). The department may,
in consultation with the local authority, extend the
installation deadline established under this paragraph.
(e) Removal.--
(1) After removal of a covered bridge owned by the
department from the list under subsection (a)(3), the
department may remove the signage required by subsection (d).
(2) Not later than 60 days after a covered bridge owned
by a local authority is removed from the list under
subsection (a)(3), the department shall notify the local
authority. The local authority may remove the signage
required by subsection (d) after receipt of the notification.
(f) Costs.--
(1) The department is responsible for costs associated
with installation, maintenance and upkeep of signage required
by subsection (d) and placed at a covered bridge owned by the
department.
(2) A local authority is responsible for costs
associated with installation, maintenance and upkeep of
signage required by subsection (d) and placed at a covered
bridge owned by the local authority.
(g) Definition.--As used in this section, the term "covered
bridge" means a bridge that includes a timber structure
supporting a deck surface that carries loads over an obstruction
on a public roadway. The term does not include a bridge closed
to vehicular traffic.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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