Officials highlight upcoming construction projects for the North Central Region

CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) – Officials from PennDOT District 2 as well as PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll highlighted more than 60 projects expected to bid this year in the nine-county region, reflecting an estimated investment of $378 million.

Governor Shapiro’s commitment to delivering safe highways and bridges across the Commonwealth remains a top priority. These investments support the Shapiro administration’s vision of a safe and reliable transportation network that connects Pennsylvanians to greater opportunity.

“Our 2024 program is going to be robust. It consists of 66 projects. When you combine that from last year’s that we have some carryovers, we’re going to have over half a billion dollars of construction in our district in 2024,” District 2 Executive Thomas Prestash said.  “One thing we realize is that our transportation system is key to the connectivity of people and goods and it’s crucial for economic development and it affects everyone.”

Governor Shapiro’s 2023-24 budget secured $125 million to fully leverage federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investments and improve Pennsylvania’s roads and bridges. The investment is made possible by decoupling Pennsylvania State Police funding from the Motor License Fund and is the first year of the Governor’s four-year proposal to invest an additional $1.25 billion in the state’s infrastructure. Statewide in 2023, 684 bridges went out for bid to be repaired, replaced, or preserved and 7,011 roadway miles were improved by department or partner crews.

“It’s an honor to be here to celebrate the work that is anticipated and will be completed this year. The work of PennDOT is a challenge, PennDOT’s assignment summed up in a sentence is to satisfy the transportation needs of 13 million people every single day. It’s a stark assignment, we accept that assignment and we accept the challenge that the traveling public expresses to us to get it right,” PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said.

Overall highlights of the 2024 construction season for District 2, which covers Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Juniata, McKean, Mifflin, and Potter counties, include:

• Approximately 163 miles of paving.
• Approximately 493 miles of roadway seal coating.
• Approximately 12 bridges will be preserved or rehabilitated, and 15 bridges to be replaced.
• 1 bridge removal.

“The high-speed interchange between Interstates 80 and 99 at Bellefonte will provide a direct connection between these major highways,” Prestash said. “This was identified as a major need for this community many years ago, and it is very gratifying to see it finally come to fruition. Once completed it will enhance safety for motorists, provide local access connections to Route 26, and facilitate the movement of goods and services to and from our region.”

The investment into roads and bridges provides more than just a smooth and safe ride for motorists.

“Investment in jobs and in wages, family-sustaining jobs that will be in this area that will bring with it all the ancillary benefits as the work is done, which then, in turn, will lead to more economic activity, more economic development in the region,” Senator Wayne Langerholc said.

Notable projects that are expected to begin this year include:

Cameron

• Countywide guide rail replacement project; $545,000; Anticipated completion in March 2026.
• Highway restoration along Route 120 and Route 872; $659,000; Anticipated completion in November 2024.

Centre County

• New interchange construction between I-80 & I-99 in Boggs, Spring, and Marion townships; $246 million; Anticipated completion in September 2030.
• Highway restoration on Route 26, near I-80 Exit 161 to Shay Lane in Marion Township; $6.9 million; Anticipated completion in Summer 2026.

Clearfield County

• Highway and bridge preservation on I-80 from mile marker 96 to mile marker 119 in Clearfield County; $ 57.7 million; Anticipated completion in November 2025.
• Highway resurfacing on Route 153 from Penfield to the Elk County line; $6.4 million; Anticipated completion in January 2025.
• Bridge removal on Presqueisle Street (Route 2020) over Moshannon Creek in Chester Hill Borough; $400,000; Anticipated completion in June 2024.

Clinton County

• Bridge replacement on Route 2019 (Laurel Run Road) over Laurel Run; $1.2 million; Anticipated completion in October 2024.
• Bridge replacement on Route 220 over McElhattan Creek; $2.5 million; Anticipated completion in November 2025.

Elk County

• Highway restoration on Route 219 from Ridgway to Johnsonburg; $3.2 million; Anticipated completion in October 2024
• Highway restoration on Route 646 from Ormsby to Cyclone; $4.9 million; Anticipated completion in October 2024.

Juniata County

• Highway restoration and drainage upgrades on Route 35 in Fermanagh Township; $4.5 million; Anticipated completion in October 2024.
• Bridge replacement on Groninger Valley Road (Route 3008) over a tributary of Tuscarora Creek; $684,000; Anticipated completion in September 2025.

McKean County

• Bridge replacement on Route 346 over Tram Hollow Run; $2 million; Anticipated completion in November 2025.
• Bridge replacement on Route 346 over Gates Hollow Run; $1.2 million; Anticipated completion in November 2025.

Mifflin County

• Bridge replacement on Route 22 over a branch Long Hollow Run; $1.6 million; Anticipated completion in November 2025.
• Bridge replacement on Route 22 over Long Hollow Run; $1.5 million; Anticipated completion in November 2025.

Potter County

• Bridge preservation on Peet Brook Road (Route 4011) and Shay Town/Sunny Side Road (Route 4017) in Hebron and Roulette; $4.1 million; Anticipated completion in July 2024.
• Bridge replacement on Mille Street (Route 1022) over Pine Creek; $3.2 million; Anticipated completion in November 2024.

Notable ongoing projects this year include:

• Highway restoration and drainage of Atherton Street (Route 3014) in State College,

$30 million ($2.5 million coming from BIL).

• Bridge preservation over Clearfield Creek east of Clearfield on Route 322; ($1.2 million from BIL).
• Bridge replacement on Route 75 over the Norfolk Southern Railroad in Walker Township, Juniata County, $4.1 million; ($1.2 million from BIL).
• Bridge improvements in two locations over T-398 and WNYPA railroad in Eldred Borough in McKean County, $1.7 million from BIL.
• Highway resurfacing/betterment project on Electric Avenue (Route 1005) in Lewistown Borough, Mifflin County; $5.4 million ($710,000 from BIL).
• Resurfacing on Route 6 from the McKean County line to Fishing Creek in Potter County; $7.7 million.

Officials also ensured to highlight safety during the conference today.

“I ask for the public’s patience when they see a work zone. And ask that the public accept, grudgingly accept the fact that there’s going to be a minor delay. But the impacts of mistakes can be tragic and life-changing. So please slow down in the work. So please pay attention to the work zones. Please maintain a safe speed in the work zone so we can minimize accidents,” Carroll said.

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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.

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