BRADY TWP — The state Department of Transportation has a number of paving and bridge replacement projects slated for Butler County this summer.

Officials discussed the work Thursday at PennDOT's annual county outreach meeting at the Jennings Environmental Education Center in Brady Township.

Joseph Dubovi, District 10 executive, said increased funding for the state in recent years, particularly through Act 89, has allowed PennDOT to focus on improving roads.

“We have a great opportunity to begin focusing on repaving our roads,” he said.

The state had been limited to focusing mainly on bridge repairs in recent years.

“We've really been neglecting (paving) since 2006,” Dubovi said.

Here are some of planned projects:

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[naviga:li]Half of the ramps connecting Route 422 and Route 8 will close April 6 to finish a paving project that began last year.

The ramps connecting Route 8 south to Route 422 west and Route 8 north to Route 422 east will close April 6 until October.[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Road work will begin April 6 around the Hansen Avenue and Route 8 interchange area in preparation for paving operations. Once paving begins, lane restrictions will be in place on Route 8 nightly between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The work will conclude the project that began in 2014.[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Route 422 in Muddy Creek Township will have resurfacing work done this summer as will Route 68 in Evans City and Jackson Township and Freedom Road in Cranberry Township.[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]PennDOT expects to begin curb ramp repairs along Route 8 in Butler and Butler Township. [/naviga:li]

While the state will continue to see more paving than in years past, it also will devote more resources to bridge replacement. [/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Preliminary work for the replacement of Route 19 over Scholars Run in Jackson Township began Thursday as crews began to move utilities and construct a temporary road for the project.

Traffic is expected to be transferred in May onto the temporary bridge and road along Route 19 between Route 68 and Fanker Road.

The $3.3 million bridge replacement project is being constructed by C.H. & D. Construction, Inc., and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2016. [/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Plum Contracting Inc. is to replace four bridges in northern Butler County along routes 8 and 38. Those bridges on Route 38 include the bridge south of Hooker, the Greece City bridge and the Sandy Point bridge. The Route 8 bridge near Harrisville is also included in the $2.8 million project.[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]PennDOT will partner with Butler to replace the Cunningham Street and West New Castle Street bridges. The bridges will be replaced one after another, each serving as the detour route during the other's replacement. Carmen Paliotta Contracting is doing that work.[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]The Route 422 bridge southeast of East Butler in Summit Township will be replaced by Mekis Construction for $2.5 million. The phased construction is expected to be done by October. [/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]The Route 8 bridge near the Old Stone House in Brady Township and the Blacks Creek bridge carrying Route 58 in Marion Township also will be replaced this summer using detours. [/naviga:li]

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Future projects

PennDOT has several large projects proposed in the county later on.

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[naviga:li]A primary focus will be on Route 228 from Cranberry Township to Route 8. The state last fall presented a plan that would eliminate three sweeping curves on the busy road between Route 8 and Quality Gardens, commonly called Balls Bend.

PennDOT now is considering whether it will straighten the road, widen the road along its existing curves, or have a hybrid of those options. [/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Improvements to the Route 228 intersection with Pittsburgh Street south of Mars in Adams Township is another project slated on the road.

The state hopes to add turning lanes and replace two culverts near the intersection. The project, which could cost up to $10 million, is expected to begin in 2018.

“With the growth in southern Butler County, we're really focused on the congestion issues,” Dubovi said. “We need to address those.”[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Similar improvements are planned for Route 228's intersection with Three Degree Road in Adams Township, although that project is not funded and has no anticipated construction date. [/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]PennDOT hopes to do preventive maintenance on Interstate 79 in Cranberry, Jackson, Lancaster and Muddy Creek townships within the next couple years. However, officials said the scope of that work needs to be determined. [/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Work on new access ramps off Route 422 to Moraine State Park in Worth Township is expected to be done in 2017. That project is expected to cost up to $5 million.

“We know the park is excited about this project,” Dubovi said.[/naviga:li]

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