Shapiro Administration Previews 2023 Laurel Highlands Region Construction Season

​Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 9 (Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon, and Somerset counties) officials today highlighted projects anticipated to be in construction status this year and discussed the ongoing impact of the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

Improving and maintaining roads and bridges across Pennsylvania is a top priority of the Shapiro administration. Today's event builds on Governor Shapiro's commitment to ensuring that residents and visitors can travel across the Commonwealth safely and efficiently.

"Looking ahead at the 2023 construction season, we are pleased to contribute to the Governor's commitment to improve our roadways and infrastructure," said Acting District 9 Executive Vince Greenland. "The BIL continues to provide significant financial support for critical infrastructure improvements and local high-priority projects, allowing other investments to be used on additional projects."

Annual Transportation Outreach sessions today began in-person and virtually in Huntingdon and Blair counties, and sessions will be held in District 9's other four counties tomorrow and Thursday. PennDOT representatives meet with area stakeholders during each presentation to discuss both planned and future improvement projects currently in design.

Overall highlights in the 2023 construction season for the six-county region include:

• Approximately 85 miles of paving;
• Approximately 76 bridges will be repaired or replaced;
• Approximately 378 miles of roadway will be seal coated; and
• $130 million of new construction projects on area roadways.
  

Notable ongoing projects that will continue this year include:

• Route 96 structure replacements, Bedford County, $3.6 million;
• Interstate 99 resurfacing from the Turnpike to Sproul/Claysburg, Bedford County, $9.8 million;
• I-70, resurfacing from Breezewood to Fulton County Line, Bedford County, $19.2 million;
• I-70, resurfacing westbound from Amaranth to Bedford, Fulton County, $19.9 million;
• Route 271 resurfacing from Woodmont Road to Route 3037, Cambria County, $7.1 million;
• U.S. 22 Interchanges resurfacing from Munster to Ebensburg, Cambria County, $7.6 million;
• Route 641 bridge replacements, Huntingdon County, $2.2 million;
• U.S. 219 bridge preservation, Somerset County, $1.5 million; and
• U.S. 219, Salisbury Rockfall Repair, Somerset County, $6.7 million.
  

Notable projects that are expected to begin this year include:

• Route 4027, Grazierville Truss Rehabilitation, Blair County, $3.3 million;
• U.S. 22 resurfacing from Weller Road to end of four-lane roadway, Blair County, $3.4 million;
• Route 4015 Wopsononock Avenue Bridge Replacement, Blair County, $2.2 million;
• Route 164 resurfacing from Route 2006 to Blair County Line, Cambria County, $3 million;
• I-70 resurfacing eastbound from Amaranth to Bedford, Fulton County, $30.1 million;
• Route 522 resurfacing from Keystone Road to Mifflin County, Huntingdon County, $4 million;
• U.S. 30 resurfacing from U.S. 219 to Route 281, Somerset County, $2.6 million; and
• Route 403 resurfacing and slide repair from U.S. 219 to Route 985, Somerset County, $14.5 million.
  

Information from the District's Transportation Outreach sessions will be available after each session on the "2023 Transportation Outreach" web page.

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 to take turns merging into the open lane.

Subscribe to PennDOT news in Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon, and Somerset counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District9.

Follow local PennDOT news on Twitter and like the department on Facebook and Instagram.

Blair County Construction Projects

Blair County Seal Coating Projects

Header image credit: Somerset Daily American