New Roundabout Caps off Multi-Year Transportation Project in Mercer County

Earlier this year, Erie County-based District 1 opened a single-lane roundabout as the final, major piece of PennDOT’s six-year, $28.1 million project focused on improving safety, efficiency, and the streetscape of the Route 718/Route 760 corridor in the Mercer County communities of Wheatland, Farrell, and Sharon.

Known as the Broadway Avenue Improvement Project, work started in 2012 and was completed in three phases. 

• Phase 1 (2012-2013) – Completed in two stages on Broadway Avenue/Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard at a cost of approximately $9.2 million. Stage one went from Council Avenue in Wheatland to Fruit Avenue in Farrell. Stage two went from Fruit Avenue in Farrell to Roemer Boulevard in Farrell.  
  
• Phase 2 (2015-2016) – Completed in three stages on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard at a cost of approximately $7.3 million. Stage one went from Roemer Boulevard in Farrell to Union Street in Farrell. Stages two and three went from Union Street in Farrell to Malleable Street in Sharon.
  
• Phase 3 (2017-2018) – Completed in two stages at a cost of approximately $4.1 million. Stage one involved the area of South Dock Street from Orchard Street to the entrance of the Metalico recycling plant. Stage two went from the recycling plant to Bank Place and included the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of South Dock Street and Connelly Boulevard.  
  

“The roundabout is the capstone of this major project, which included highway reconstruction, addition of a center turn lane, turning radius improvements at intersections, new sidewalks and curb ramps,” said Jim Foringer, District Executive for PennDOT’s northwest region. “PennDOT is proud to make this investment into the business and residential communities of Mercer County as part of the state’s commitment to providing a government that works and jobs that pay.” 

The work also included streetscape upgrades to drainage, traffic signals, decorative highway lighting, signs, as well as pear tree plantings. 

Kirila Contractors Inc. of Brookfield, Ohio, was the contractor for all three phases of the project. SAI Consulting Engineers of Pittsburgh was the design consultant, and Quality Engineering Solutions of Conneaut Lake, Pa., was the inspection contractor. 

Design and inspection costs for the six-year project were approximately $7.6 million.

PennDOT marked the opening of the roundabout by partnering with the Shenango Valley Chamber of Commerce to host a public ceremony and ribbon cutting.

“We thank both the community officials and residents of Wheatland, Farrell and Sharon for their patience during the reconstruction of the corridor the last several years,” said Reggie Jannetti, PennDOT Project Engineer. “It is exciting to be part of the team to construct the first roundabout in Mercer County, because of its proven increased efficiency and safety.”