HB 1824 — 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
 1   Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 2      Statutes, in powers of department and local authorities,
 3      providing for covered bridge warning signs.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.     Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 7   Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
 8   § 6130.    Covered bridge warning signs.
 9      (a)    Identification of bridges.--
10             (1)   The department shall establish standards determining
11      when a covered bridge, due to an uneven surface, poses a
12      reasonable safety risk to pedalcycles and motorcycles. When
13      determining the standards, an uneven surface includes raised
14      joints, gaps, depressions, loose planks or other
15      irregularities that would likely cause loss of control by a
16      pedalcycle and motorcycle.
17             (2)   Not later than 60 days after the effective date of
18      this section, the department shall compile an itemized list
19      of covered bridges, which list shall be organized by county
 1      and municipality, that meet the standards established by the
 2      department under paragraph (1). The department shall indicate
 3      whether each covered bridge on the list is owned by the
 4      department or a local authority and shall publish the list on
 5      the department's publicly accessible Internet website.
 6            (3)   The department shall, in accordance with the
 7      standards adopted under paragraph (1) and not less than once
 8      annually, remove or add covered bridges to the list required
 9      under paragraph (2) and update the list published on the
10      department's publicly accessible Internet website.
11      (b)   Notification.--Not later than 60 days after publication
12   of the list under subsection (a)(2) and subsequent placement of
13   a covered bridge on the list under subsection (a)(3), the
14   department shall notify a local authority of covered bridges
15   owned by the local authority meeting the standards established
16   by the department under subsection (a).
17      (c)   Signage.--The department shall adopt standards for the
18   uniform design and conspicuous placement of signs providing
19   advanced warning to pedalcycles and motorcycles entering a
20   covered bridge that is contained in the list under subsection
21   (a).
22      (d)   Required installation.--A covered bridge added to the
23   list under subsection (a) shall have conspicuous signs placed at
24   the entrances of the covered bridge as follows:
25            (1)   Not later than 60 days after publication of the list
26      or subsequent placement of the covered bridge owned by the
27      department on the list under subsection (a), the department
28      shall install conspicuous signage placed at the entrances of
29      the covered bridge in accordance with the standards adopted
30      under subsection (c).

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 1            (2)   Not later than 60 days after receipt of the
 2      notification under subsection (b), the local authority shall
 3      install conspicuous signage at the entrances of the covered
 4      bridge owned by the local authority in accordance with the
 5      standards adopted under subsection (c). The department may,
 6      in consultation with the local authority, extend the
 7      installation deadline established under this paragraph.
 8      (e)   Removal.--
 9            (1)   After removal of a covered bridge owned by the
10      department from the list under subsection (a)(3), the
11      department may remove the signage required by subsection (d).
12            (2)   Not later than 60 days after a covered bridge owned
13      by a local authority is removed from the list under
14      subsection (a)(3), the department shall notify the local
15      authority. The local authority may remove the signage
16      required by subsection (d) after receipt of the notification.
17      (f)   Costs.--
18            (1)   The department is responsible for costs associated
19      with installation, maintenance and upkeep of signage required
20      by subsection (d) and placed at a covered bridge owned by the
21      department.
22            (2)   A local authority is responsible for costs
23      associated with installation, maintenance and upkeep of
24      signage required by subsection (d) and placed at a covered
25      bridge owned by the local authority.
26      (g)   Definition.--As used in this section, the term "covered
27   bridge" means a bridge that includes a timber structure
28   supporting a deck surface that carries loads over an obstruction
29   on a public roadway. The term does not include a bridge closed
30   to vehicular traffic.

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1     Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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