​The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) looked back today on the array of accomplishments and changes brought to the northwest region in 2020, including approximately $128 million worth of construction projects and new district leadership.

“Each year, PennDOT employees demonstrate their dedication to serving their communities by continually striving to maintain and improve the roadway system in northwest Pennsylvania,” said Brian McNulty, P.E., District Executive. “This past year was filled with many unique circumstances, and we are proud of how our staff met those challenges to achieve our goal of providing a safe and efficient transportation system for residents, travelers and businesses.”

The 2020 construction schedule for the PennDOT District 1 encompassed 54 projects, including 24 roadway, 18 bridge, two safety, one emergency, one retaining wall, and eight local projects in the service area of Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango and Warren counties. PennDOT maintenance crews also completed four bridge replacement or rehabilitation projects and did preservation work on an additional 28 structures. 

 

Among the most notable projects during the past year’s construction season was the following: 

• Shenango Valley Roundabout – Route 62 and East State Street in City of Hermitage, Mercer County, intersection safety improvement, $3.8 million; 

• Route 8 – Sandycreek, Irwin, Victory townships, Venango County, roadway reconstruction, $32.6 million, continues in 2021;

• Cambridge Springs (Route 6) bridge – Cambridge Springs Borough, in Crawford County, replacement, $3.8 million, continues in 2021; and 

• Route 19 – Millcreek Township, Erie County, pedestrian improvements along Peach Street and Kuntz Road, bridge rehabilitation, intersection improvements; $2 million.

District 1 also improved the health of interstate highways in the northwest counties with six interstate projects. Most notable among them was the continuation of a reconstruction and preservation project along the western portion of Interstate 90 in Erie County. 

During the second year of the $40-million I-90 project, the eastbound lanes of the interstate from the Ohio state line to mile marker 3.5 were reconstructed, and improvements were made of the welcome center and at the Route 6N exits. Work was also done on the westbound lanes, which will be completed in 2021.

Emergency repair work was also competed on the bridge that carries Interstate 376 over Interstate 80 in Mercer County. Minor work was also completed on Interstate 79 and Interstate 86 in Erie County.   

In 2020, District 1 paved more than 100 miles of roads in the six-county northwest region and 27 bridge were rehabilitated or replaced.

 

PennDOT maintenance units in the six counties of District 1 used more than 849,000 gallons of oil and nearly 22,000 tons of stone to preform seal coat resurfacing on over 200 miles of secondary roads.

 

Crews in the counties also used nearly 16,000 tons of material to patch potholes and sealed surface cracks on more than 1,000 miles of road.

 

Below is a list of some of the major projects in each of the six counties that were under construction in the northwestern region in 2020.

 

There were 10 projects completed or started in Crawford County, including:

• Cambridge Springs (Route 6) bridge – Cambridge Springs Borough, replacement, $3.8 million, continues in 2021;

• I-79 – mile marker 147 to mile maker 163, shoulder repair, maintenance project;

• Route 27 – Troy and Randolph townships, 6.5 miles of roadway resurfacing, $5.3 million;   

• Route 27 – City of Meadville and West Mead Township, 2.8 miles of roadway resurfacing, $1.9 million;

• Route 198 bridge – Woodcock Township, rehabilitation; $1.5 million; 

• Route 198 – Blooming Valley Borough to Randolph Township, 10.1 miles of roadway resurfacing, $2.6 million;

• Park Avenue (Route 1001) – City of Meadville and Saegertown Borough, 4.9 miles of roadway resurfacing, $1.8 million;

• Route 2035 – City of Meadville and West Mead Township, 2 miles of roadway resurfacing, $1.5 million; and 

• Spring Street – City of Meadville and Vernon Township, 1.8 miles of roadway resurfacing, $1.2 million. 

There were 15 projects completed or started in Erie County, including:

• I-90 – Milepost 0 to milepost 3.5, Springfield Township, Erie County, roadway reconstruction, $40 million, continues in 2021;

• Route 5 –City of Erie and Millcreek Township, 3.3 miles of roadway resurfacing, $2.5 million;

• Route 19 (Peach Street) – Millcreek Township, pedestrian improvements along Peach Street and Kuntz Road, bridge rehabilitation, intersection improvements; $2 million;

• Route 19 bridge – Waterford Township, replacement, $1.4 million;

• Route 20 (26th Street) – Millcreek Township, 3.7 miles of roadway resurfacing, $3.1 million; and

• Route 20 – Harborcreek Township; 3.9 miles of roadway resurfacing, $4.6 million;

• Main Street (Route 4032) bridge – Lawrence Park Township; rehabilitation; $910,600;

• Old State Road (Route 3014) bridge – Franklin Township, rehabilitation project over I-79, $1.8 million; and

• Shotcrete group project – Four metal pipe culverts in Erie County, $288,000.

There were three projects completed or started in Forest County, including:

• Route 62, Route 36 – Tionesta Township, 2.7 miles of roadway resurfacing, $1.9 million;

• Route 62 – Hickory Township, 2 miles of roadway resurfacing, $1 million; and

• 4 Seasons Trail and Multimodal Hub – Jenks Township, 6 miles of trails, trail hub, $1.2 million, continues in 2021. 

There were 16 projects completed or started in Mercer County, including:

• Route 62 and East State Street (Route 3008) – City of Hermitage, intersection safety improvement, roundabout, $3.8 million;

• Route 18 – Pymatuning Township; 1.4 miles of roadway resurfacing, $3 million; 

• Route 158 bridge – Mercer Borough and East Lackawannock Township, replacement; maintenance project; 

• Route 846 – City of Hermitage to Greenville Borough, 12.4 miles of roadway resurfacing, $2.4 million; 

• Columbia Avenue (Route 4011) – Greenville Borough; 0.8 miles of roadway resurfacing, $1.5 million; 

• Fredonia Road (Route 1004) bridge – Lake Township, rehabilitation, $957,000;

• Lake Wilhlem Road (Route 1009) bridge – New Vernon Township, rehabilitation, $706,000; 

• New Castle-Mercer Road (Route 2001) bridge – Wilmington Township, replacement, $532,000; and

• Orangeville Road (Route 3019) bridge – City of Hermitage, rehabilitation, $457,582.

There were five projects completed or started in Venango County, including:

• Route 8 – Sandycreek, Irwin, Victory townships, 10 miles of roadway reconstruction, $32.6 million, continues in 2021;

• Route 36 – Allegheny Township, 5 miles roadway resurfacing, $1.1 million;

• Pithole Road (Route 1006) bridge – Allegheny Township, rehabilitation, maintenance project; 

• Sunville Road (Route 4009) – Oakland, Plum, Jackson townships; 9 miles of roadway resurfacing, $784,000; and

• Siverly Avenue and Oak Grove Street – City of Oil City, 1 mile of roadway resurfacing; $230,000. 

There were nine projects completed or started Warren County, including:

• Route 6 bridge – Sheffield Township, replacement, $517,000;

• Route 6 – Clarendon Borough, and Mead and Sheffield townships, 5.3 miles of roadway resurfacing; $499,000;

• Route 27 bridge – Brokenstraw Township, replacement, $393,000;

• Route 27 – Pittsfield Township, 3.6 miles of roadway resurfacing, $1.8 million;

• Route 59 bridge – Kinzua Reservoir, Mead Township, rehabilitation, $1.5 million; 

• Route 62 – City of Warren; 2.4 miles of roadway resurfacing, $1.9 million; 

• Route 62 – Watson and Limestone townships, Hickory Township in Forest County, landslide repairs and roadway resurfacing, $13.4 million continued from 2019; 

• Route 62 bridge – Brokenstraw Township, $849,000; and

• Route 426 bridge – Columbus Township, $775,000.

Due to retirements, PennDOT District 1 also had several changes in leadership. Brian McNulty, P.E. was named the District Executive in July. As such, he is responsible for overseeing all the functions of the northwest region, including nearly 800 employees who are dedicated to the maintenance, preservation, and construction of nearly 4,000 miles of highway and 2,066 bridges. He succeeded Jim Foringer, P.E. who retired after 35 years with the department. 

Dax Nulph, P.E., was named the Assistant District Executive – Construction in April, following the retirement of Mike Deibert, P.E. who had 35 years with the department. Nulph is responsible for approximately 75 employees and oversees state and federal construction projects in the six-counties within District 1.

In October, Tom McClelland, P.E. was named the Assistant District Executive – Design, the position formerly held by McNulty. In his new position, McClelland is responsible for nearly 100 employees within the design unit and oversees the roadway and bridge design functions of 70 to 80 projects each year valued at more than $100 million.

The leadership team in rounded out by Doug Schofield, who serves as the Assistant District Executive – Maintenance. Schofield is responsible for about 600 employees and oversees maintenance operations at the District 1 office in Oil City, as well as the individual county facilities in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango and Warren counties. 

Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties at www.penndot.gov/District1. 

Information about infrastructure in District 1, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.gov/D1Results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov. 

Follow PennDOT’s northwest region on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAErie or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/northwestregionpenndot. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Jill Harry, 814-678-5035

 

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