Wolf Administration officials today highlighted more than 55 projects anticipated to be under construction this year across the six-county region and discussed the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) benefits to regional roads and bridges.

"I am pleased to announce the many improvements across our rural communities that will be made this year," said Gov. Tom Wolf. "These needed improvements on our rural networks are vital to our economy and our quality of life."

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Annual Transportation Outreach sessions began in-person and virtually today in Bedford and Fulton counties, and sessions will be held in District 9's other four counties in the coming weeks. PennDOT representatives meet with area stakeholders during the outreach presentations to discuss improvements that will be made during the upcoming construction season and in future seasons.

Overall highlights in the 2022 construction season for District 9 (Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon, and Somerset counties) include:

• Approximately 150 miles of paving;
• Approximately 45 bridges will be repaired or replaced;
• Approximately 373 miles of roadway will be seal coated; and
• $118 million of new construction projects on area roadways.

  These improvements include projects supported and accelerated by the BIL. In 2022 alone, the BIL is bringing over $21.4 million in additional funding to the District 9 region to be allocated by the department and its local Metropolitan and Rural Planning Organization (MPO/RPO) partners:

• Blair Planning Commission will receive at least $2.7 million more;
• Cambria County Planning Commission will receive at least $5.9 million more; and
• Southern Alleghenies RPO will receive at least $12.8 million more.

  "This is the 23rd year that PennDOT's Engineering District 9 has conducted outreach meetings for legislators, municipal officials, planning and economic development agencies, and community leaders in each of our six counties," District 9 Executive Thomas Prestash said. "This year we will see over $100 million worth of new construction projects on area roadways."

Notable ongoing projects that will continue this year include:

• Interstate 99 Turnpike to Sproul/Claysburg resurfacing, Bedford County, $19.4 million;
• Route 56 Pleasantville Mountain safety improvements, Bedford County, $2.8 million;
• I-99 high tension cable median barrier, McCoy Street Bridge to Centre County, Blair County, $1.5 million;
• Route 4027 Hutchinson Run Bridge replacement, Blair County, $1.4 million;
• Route 53 structure replacements, Cambria County, $4.1 million;
• U.S. 22 interchanges resurfacing, Munster to Ebensburg, Cambria County, $7.6 million;
• Route 16, U.S. 522 - Franklin County Line, Safety Improvement, Fulton County, $4.3 million; 
• U.S. 30 – PA 160 to Bedford County Line Resurfacing, Somerset County, $3.3 million; and
• U.S. 40 Addison resurfacing, Somerset County, $5.6 million.

  Notable projects that are expected to begin this year include:

• Route 96 structure replacements, Bedford County, $3.6 million;
• Route 913 – Route 26 to Huntingdon County line resurfacing, Bedford County, $1.2 million;
• Route 4027, Westvaco Pater Mill to Route 350 resurfacing, Blair County, $2 million;
• Route 271 resurfacing, Woodmont Road to Route 3037, Cambria County, $7.1 million;
• Route 3031 Galleria Drive over U.S. 219 bridge rehabilitation, Cambria County, $2.3 million;
• U.S. 30 – Sideling Hill Mountain to Breezy Point Road resurfacing, Fulton County, $2.9 million;
• I-70 westbound resurfacing, Amaranth to Bedford, Fulton County, $11 million;
• Route 26 – U.S. 22 to Oneida Township line resurfacing, Huntingdon County, $1.8 million;
• Route 641 bridge replacements, Huntingdon County, $2.2 million;
• U.S. 219 bridge preservation, Somerset County, $1.5 million;
• U.S. 219 Salisbury rockfall repair, Somerset County, $6.7 million; and
• Route 601 – Ranch Lane to Route 985 resurfacing, Somerset County, $1.6 million.

  Information from the District's Transportation Outreach sessions will be available after each session on the "2022 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 are to take turns merging into the open lane. 

Information about infrastructure in District 9, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.gov/D9Results. Find PennDOT's planned and active construction project at www.projects.penndot.gov.

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.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

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.

MEDIA CONTACTS: Elizabeth Rementer, Governor's Office, ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov, 717-783-1116

                       Monica R. Jones, PennDOT, 814-696-7105