Wolf Administration officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) highlighted the 98 projects anticipated to start or continue this year in the nine-county region and discussed the benefits coming to regional roads and bridges due to the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) joined in celebrating the coming start of the Winslow Hill Road safety and elk viewing improvement project.

“The beauty and charm of Pennsylvania cannot be overstated. Helping visitors travel safely to these areas means investing money in the upkeep, repair, and replacement of roads and bridges,” said Governor Tom Wolf. “It’s exciting to see the impact these projects will have as they help communities in the north central region keep thriving.”

While discussing work continuing or beginning this year, officials highlighted the importance of a 5.6-mile paving project to start this spring on Winslow Hill Road (T-520) in Benezette. The project will include roadway widening/reconstruction, improvements of roadway shoulders to enhance pedestrian movements, emergency vehicle accommodation, drainage, and guide rail. The $2.8 million project is funded by the state Multimodal Transportation fund.

“This project on Winslow Hill will enhance safety for local residents as well as visitors,” said PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Multimodal Transportation Jennie Louwerse. “Overall, road and bridge work across the nine counties of District 2 will make daily travel safer and more convenient and keep goods and services moving into and out of the region. We’re happy to celebrate this progress today.” 

Overall highlights in the PennDOT Engineering District 2 region – which includes Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Juniata, McKean, Mifflin, and Potter counties – include more than 210 miles of paving and repair or replacement of 53 bridges.

These improvements include projects supported and accelerated by the BIL. In 2022 alone the BIL is bringing at least $22 million in additional funding to be allocated by the department and its local Metropolitan and Rural Planning Organization (MPO/RPO) partners:

• Centre County MPO will receive at least $3 million more;
• North Central PA Regional Planning and Development Commission will receive at least $8 million more; and
• SEDA Council of Governments will receive at least $11 million more;

“We cover a large, mostly rural region and the increased funding from the BIL provides much needed help as we continue to improve our roads and bridges,” said District 2 Executive Tom Zurat. “BIL funding will help us have a positive impact on more communities, as we address infrastructure needs.”

Notable projects that will continue this year include:

·         Interstate 80/A18; Local interchange for Route 26/I-80 in Marion Township, Centre County; east of I-80 exit 161; $52 million;

·         I-80/B41; reconstruction of interchange on I-80 over Route 970 in Bradford Township, Clearfield County at exit 123, $18 million;

·         Route 64/N38; safety project to realign the Route 64/550 intersection (Nittany Valley Drive/Zion Road) in Walker Township, Centre County, $3.7 million;

·         I-80/B41; reconstruction of interchange on I-80 over Route 970 in Bradford Township at exit 123, $18 million;

·         Route 150/SIG; City of Lock Haven signals at 10 locations of signalized intersections and one unsignalized intersection at Main Street and Mill Street for pedestrian upgrades, $2.8 million;

·         Route 333/A08; Bridge improvements over tributary of Juniata River in Mifflin Borough, Juniata County, $2 million;

·        Route 4013/A03; Bridge replacement over Allegheny River in Allegany Township, Potter County; $928,000; and

·       Route 144/A03; Bridge replacement over Ives Run in Abbott Township, Potter County, $998,000. 

Notable projects that have begun or are beginning this year include:

• Route 4004/A03; bridge replacement over Driftwood Branch of Sinnemahoning Creek in Shippen Township, Cameron County, $1.6 million, including $1.4 from the BIL;
• Route 26/Route 45 intersection safety improvements in Ferguson Township, Centre County, $5 million;
• Route 3014/153; highway restoration and drainage of Atherton Street; from Park Avenue to Westerly Parkway; $19 million, including $1 million from the BIL;
• Route 255/N47; safety improvement in the City of DuBois and Sandy Township; 11 signal locations; $1.2 million;
• Route 64/A03; bridge replacement over Big Fishing Creek in Porter Township, Clinton County, $1.8 million;
• Route 2023/A02; bridge repair to Oriental covered bridge over Mahantango Creek in Susquehanna Township, Juniata County, $359,000;
• Elm Street bridge; local bridge replacement project over east branch of Tunungwant Creek in City of Bradford, McKean County, $1.7 million;
• Route 219/537; highway restoration in the City of Bradford, Bradford Township, and Foster Township, McKean County; $6.5 million, including $1.3 million from the BIL;
• Route 22/721; highway resurfacing in Oliver Township, Granville Township, and McVeytown Borough in Mifflin County, $2.8 million, including $1 million from the BIL;
• Route 1005/720 Valley Street; Electric Avenue; highway resurfacing/betterment project from Electric Avenue to Market Street in Lewistown Borough, Mifflin County, $3.7 million; and

·       Route 6/626; resurfacing project in Roulette Township, Potter County from McKean County line to Fishing Creek, $5.4 million.

As construction projects are underway in the region, the traveling public can anticipate seeing many work zones and are urged to keep in mind their safety and the safety of highway workers. When encountering a work zone, please drive the posted speed limit, turn on your headlights, pay close attention to signs and flaggers and avoid all distractions. In high traffic locations, motorists are encouraged to use both lanes of travel to the merge point and are to take turns merging into the open lane. 

Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts. 

Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Juniata, McKean, Mifflin, and Potter counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District2

Information about infrastructure in District 2, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.pa.gov/D2Results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.