Shapiro Administration Previews 2023 Northwest Region Construction Season, Work Zone Safety

​In connection with Work Zone Safety Awareness Week, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) northwest-region officials are highlighting construction projects anticipated to start or continue this year.

Fixing and maintaining Pennsylvania's roads, highways, and bridges is a top priority of the Shapiro Administration. Today's announcement builds on Governor Josh Shapiro's commitment to ensuring Pennsylvanians can travel across the Commonwealth safely. 

"PennDOT employees and contractors in the northwest corner of Pennsylvania will once again be working hard to enhance the state's transportation infrastructure with more than $160 million in projects planned for 2023," said PennDOT District 1 Executive Brian McNulty, P.E. "Motorists play an important role in keeping our highway workers safe and we ask that you exercise caution as you encounter these work zones in the months to come."

Work plans for the 2023 construction season in PennDOT's District 1, which covers Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties, call for improving approximately 110 roadway miles and replacing, restoring, or repairing 24 bridges, including 15 in poor condition.

This year, District 1 is expecting to award 90 contracts this year for work to be done in 2023 and 2024. These include projects supported and accelerated by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which is bringing approximately $23.7 million in additional funding to the region in 2023. The region anticipates receiving $25 million in additional funding in 2024.

"We want to take full advantage of the investments from the federal government so we can maximize the number of improvements we can make to our region's roads and bridges for years to come," McNulty said.

Some of the notable projects that will see active work this year and their contract costs include:

Crawford County

• Route 27, resurfacing more than 4.5 miles of roadway in East Mead and Randolph townships; $4.9 million.
• Route 198 and Park Avenue – Resurfacing nearly 6 miles of roadway in the City of Meadville, Woodcock Township and Blooming Valley Borough; contract not awarded yet.
• Route 408 – Major rehabilitation of the bridge over Oil Creek in Hydetown Borough; $2 million.
  

Erie County

• Interstate 90 reconstruction (miles 3.5 to 10.5) – the third year of the project will focus on reconstructing the westbound lanes and replacement of the westbound bridge over Neiger Road; $66.1 million.
• Edinboro Intersection Improvements – Upgrades to the turning radius, lane realignments, and pedestrian amenities at and near the intersection of Route 6N and Route 99; $2.8 million.
• Zuck Road (Route 4015) – Resurfacing, culvert replacement, signal upgrades along 2 miles of roadway from Zimmerly Road (Route 4012) to W. 26^th Street (Route 20); $7.8 million.
• Bayfront Parkway Project – Pedestrian improvement, including a bridge, two roundabouts and a grade separated intersection, missing trail connections, improved lighting; contract not yet awarded.
• Cranberry Street Intersection – Pedestrian safety improvements at the intersection of Cranberry Street and the Bayfront Parkway (Route 4034); contract to be awarded late in 2023.
  

Forest County

• Route 36 – Rehabilitating the bridge over Hunter Run in Tionesta, Forest County; $362,730.
  

Mercer County

• Sharon Gateway – Collaborative project to improve safety in and beautify the intersections of South Irvine Street and Route 62 and Addison Avenue; $932,346.
• Route 18 – Resurfacing nearly 1.5 miles Route 18 from Route 358 in Greenville Borough to the beginning of the four-lane section in West Salem Township; contract not yet awarded.
• Thiel College intersection – Improvements to the intersection of Route 18 with Route 58, High Street and North Third Street as well as resurfacing of Route 18 and Route 58 in Greenville Borough; contract to be award in late 2023.   
  

Venango County

• Allegheny Boulevard Multimodal Trail – Construction of 2.8 miles of multi-use trail along Route 8/62 from Elk Street in the City of Franklin to Front Street (Route 4002) in Sugarcreek Borough, Venango County; $2.3 million.
• Route 427 – Resurfacing 6 miles from Academy Street to Deeter Road in Jackson and Plum townships, and Cooperstown Borough, Venango County, $7.1 million.
• Resurfacing in Cranberry Township – Resurfacing more than 10 miles of roadway, including East State Route (Route 2006), Rockland Cranberry Road (Route 2013) and Deep Hollow Road (Route 3025); contract not yet awarded.
• Route 428 – Resurfacing nearly 6 miles of roadway in Oil City, Cornplanter and Oakland townships, and Sugarcreek Borough, $4.7 million.
  

Warren County

• Single-lane roundabout in City of Warren – Improvements to the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue, Market Street and Water Street; $3.9 million.
• Route 62 – Resurfacing more than 7.5 miles of roadway in Conewango and Pine Grove townships; $4.3 million.
  

A complete list of more than 100 District 1 projects is included in the 2023 Construction Program, is available online at www.penndot.pa.gov/District1.

Along with marking the start of the construction season, PennDOT District 1 is also observed National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 17 to 21.

"Every workday our crews along with contracted and consultant employees working on our behalf are out along the roadways doing necessary duties to maintain and improve our transportation system," McNulty said. "Whether it is behind the barrier on the interstate or in a temporary work zone on a rural road, they need motorists to do their part to keep everyone safe by slowing down, giving driving their full attention and obeying traffic signs and flaggers."

PennDOT urges motorists to be alert to changing conditions, avoid distractions, and drive responsibly in work zones. Other tips to stay safe in work zones include:

• Maintain a safe distance around vehicles and do not tailgate;
• Use four-way flashers when stopped or traveling slowly;
• Always wear a seat belt; and
• Turn on your headlights.

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

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

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