The busy construction season in NW Pa. has come to an end, with PennDOT focusing on 2025 projects after completing various road and bridge repairs in Erie, Crawford, and other counties. Plans for next year include multimodal projects and bridge replacements to improve safety and accessibility.
Shutterstock photo/F Armstrong Photography
The 2024 road construction season is officially over in northwestern Pennsylvania as the state Department of Transportation (PennDOT) turns its focus toward clearing roads of snow and ice.
The Erie Times-News took a look back Dec. 13 at PennDOT's building projects during the year, as well as what is so far planned for the region in 2025.
"The 2024 construction season included a variety of projects that together demonstrate PennDOT's commitment to an overall transportation system that focuses on safety and accessibility for all users," including pedestrians and cyclists, noted Brian McNulty, an executive in PennDOT's District 1 office.
The transportation agency paved 66 mi. of roads, seal-coated more than 400 mi. of roads, and repaired or replaced 25 bridges in Erie, Crawford, Forest, Mercer, Venango and Warren counties.
Erie County work completed over the last year by PennDOT included a restoration and reopening of the Niemeyer covered bridge in Waterford Township and new sidewalks repaired and installed in Union City, both in Erie County.
Among PennDOT's building efforts in Erie County were the:
- Central Bayfront Parkway project, which included work at the intersections with Sassafras Street Extension, State Street and Holland Street in Erie. The project will continue through 2027 at a cost of $112 million.
- East Bayfront Parkway project, with safety improvements from Port Access Road to East 12th Street in Erie. The original $4.5 million project was expanded to make upgrades to East Sixth Street.
- Cranberry Street safety project, including the addition of a traffic signal at the intersection of Cranberry Street and the Bayfront Parkway in Erie, as well as pedestrian improvements, all at a cost of $571,000.
- U.S. Highway 20 bridge replacement over Twenty Mile Creek in North East Township. The old structure was demolished when portions of the bridge unexpectedly collapsed in September. The new $9.6 million bridge is set for reconstruction in 2025.
- Repair and rehabilitation of the Waterford Covered Bridge, a locally-owned structure that carries Niemeyer Road over LeBeouf Creek in Waterford Township. Its cost is expected to be $3.5 million.
- Paving and safety improvements along Depot Road in Harborcreek Township, a project slated to be completed next year at a cost of $13.5 million.
- Paving of more than 1 mi. of U.S. 19 and upper Peach Street in Summit Township at a cost of $2.6 million.
In Crawford County, PennDOT supervised the rebuilding of 5 mi. of U.S. 6 in Meadville and West Mead Township. The $16.6 million project will continue into 2025 and include intersection improvements and the creation of a multi-use trail.
Other work in the county included an $8.9 million effort to repave 5 mi. of Interstate 79 in Greenwood and Union townships.
Construction Schedule Taking Shape for 2025
Looking ahead to the new year, 61 new construction contracts for more than $150 million have so far been awarded for work in 2025, the Times-News reported. They include 21 road projects, the repair or replacement of 21 bridges, nine safety projects and another 10 projects for locally owned roads, bridges and trails.
Five additional contracts for approximately $9.5 million worth of work are expected to be awarded by the end of this year, McNulty said.
Major construction will include the replacement of the Jordan Road bridge over Interstate 90 in Harborcreek, replacement of the Old Route 99 bridge over Lamson Run in McKean Township, and repairs to the East Main Street bridge over Twenty Mile Creek in North East Township.
Multimodal construction will install sidewalk along the south side of U.S. 6N in Edinboro, from Ontario Street to the Scotland Road entrance to PennWest University and build a new pedestrian bridge over Darrows Creek.
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