Where are the road construction projects in Somerset County this year? Take a look.

SIPESVILLE – PennDOT District 9 representatives this week outlined the department’s plans to complete 30 road projects across Somerset County this year.

The department’s 2024 schedule includes 12 construction projects: An extensive slide repair project along Route 403 in Conemaugh Township, the start of a two-year project to replace three bridges along Route 3001 (Fort Hill Road) in Addison Township and several bridge rehabilitation, road resurfacing and safety improvement projects and two sidewalk construction projects in other locations across the county.

Summer detour: Why PennDOT says Route 403 near Greenhouse Park will stay closed

Also included in the district’s overall 2024 program are 20 road maintenance projects in Somerset, Stonycreek, Allegheny, Brothersvalley, Fairhope and Elk Lick townships.

“Our 2024 construction season features key projects across our region that will improve critical features of our transportation system,” said Vince Greenland, who was promoted to District 9 executive at the end of 2023. Greenland was formerly the assistant district executive for design and succeeds Tom Prestash, who became District 2 executive last year.

“These projects, and others across Pennsylvania, are an investment to not only improve travel across the state, but also benefit the communities that rely on these transportation links,” Greenland said.

While inflation has adversely affected the district’s annual expenditures over the past five years, particularly in the cost of construction materials, rock salt, asphalt and equipment, Greenland said the construction budget in the district's six-county region remains strong.

“The good news is, we’re still going to have a stable program, construction-wise, moving forward,” he said.

“We’ve been at around $120-$125 million over the last several years (and) that will continue. We’re right now at $142 million, projected, for 2024, and we see we’ll be able to stay in that range (around $135 million) over the next several years.”

Route 403 work underway

The second and final year of construction is already underway along Route 403 in Conemaugh Township, where two box culverts are being replaced and a retaining wall will be built below a section of road just north of Greenhouse Park.

Heavy rainfall in early April caused additional sliding and severe roadway settling in that area, forcing PennDOT to close that section immediately rather than in July as was originally planned, said Joe Casper, assistant construction engineer.

A 17-mile detour is in effect in that area through at least September.

“We are keeping it closed, we’re trying to get our utility companies in there to do some relocations that were scheduled anyhow before we can start our work,” he said. “The original time frame (for the road closure) was July to October of this year, so now we have to start earlier. We’re looking at May to September to finish that up.

“The biggest thing we’re working around now is materials; suppliers were not supposed to have this ready until June or July, now we’re asking them to have the materials ready in May. We are working through that, it seems everybody can jump on board and help us through that situation.”

Casper said patching work is also taking place along Krings Street, between Tire Hill Road and Eisenhower Boulevard, to support the extra traffic volume created by the detour.

Also included in this year’s work on route 403 are the resurfacing of 6.4 miles of road from Tire Hill to the Somerset/Cambria County line in Benscreek and some slope and sinkhole repair work in the Hooversville area.

The overall $15.6 million project is to be completed in November.

Bridge replacements

Work is also moving forward on a two-year, $2.5 million project to replace three bridges and a culvert along route 3001 (Fort Hill Road), in Addison Township. Two bridges and a culvert are to be replaced over Cucumber Run, and a third bridge that crosses over Whites Creek also is to be replaced. A 12-mile detour will be in place from mid-June through late August in both 2024 and 2025 while these bridge and culvert replacements are completed, Casper said.

Work zone safety: Road workers killed on York roadway were employees of Somerset-based construction company

Sidewalk replacements

Two sidewalk replacement projects are planned for this season in Berlin and Garrett boroughs, Casper said. The two projects were bid out together and the total $1.1 million project is expected to be finished in September. Flaggers will direct traffic around the two work sites while the jobs are underway.

The complete list of construction projects scheduled for 2024 in Somerset County, and any accompanying detours, can be found at the District 9 website, under the 2024 Transportation Outreach link. A map with the 20 seal coat road maintenance projects taking place across the county this year can also be found on that site.

Route 219 to Maryland update

Jim Pruss, assistant district executive for design, gave an update on the effort to design and build the last 7.5-mile section of highway that will connect Route 219, south of Meyersdale, to Old Salisbury Road in Grantsville, Maryland.

A meeting held last November gave the public an opportunity to review and comment on the four proposed alignments for the final section of the highway, and Pruss said those comments have helped PennDOT focus on a preferred design.

“Based on the public involvement we received last fall, the recommended preferred alternative right now, where we’re looking at moving forward, would be what we call E-Shift,” he said. “There was very strong support for the E-Shift alternative.”

Reviewing the alternatives: Here's what we know about the four routes PennDOT is proposing to finish Route 219 to Maryland.

PennDOT is also applying for grant funding opportunities to cover the estimated $260 million cost for Pennsylvania’s portion of the project, Pruss said.

“We are moving forward with the project,” he said. “Right now, we’re anticipating construction around 2029 to start and completion in 2031, pending funding approval.

“We are submitting grant applications to try to secure the remaining funding for the project.”

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: PennDOT District 9 officials outline planned road work for 2024 season