Photo courtesy of PennDOT
The $43,931,496.60 contract was awarded to Lindy Paving of western Pennsylvania.
A Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) project worth $43.9 million is running ahead of schedule in Allegheny County, Pa.
Known as the I-79 "S Bend" Project, it is located on I-79 in Kennedy, Robinson and Neville townships and Glenfield Borough in Allegheny County and begins approximately a half a mile north of the Route 60 (Moon Run) interchange and extends nearly 5.5 mi. to the northern end of the I-79 Neville Island Bridge.
The $43,931,496.60 contract was awarded to Lindy Paving of western Pennsylvania, with work beginning on March 6, 2023. The project contract completion date is Oct. 14, 2025.
However, Nicole Haney, community relations coordinator of PennDOT's Engineering District 11, reported that the project is currently ahead of schedule.
"The original contract completion date is Oct. 14, 2025, but the contractor is hoping to complete the majority of the work by the end of 2024, barring anything unforeseen," she said.
Photo courtesy of PennDOT
According to Haney, the full scope of the project includes Break and Seat, full depth asphalt roadway reconstruction, guide rail updates, sign and highway lighting work and bridge preservation work, which includes bridge painting, latex overlay and other miscellaneous repairs.
"The main challenge of this project is the Maintenance and Protection of Traffic [MPT]," Haney said. "Working on a road with an average daily traffic [ADT] count of 60,000 vehicles a day makes the MPT implementation and maintenance a constant challenge."
She added that the implementation of the crossovers for the MPT phases makes this project unique.
"Additionally, the Break and Seat operations on this project are somewhat unique as you don't see that operation that often," Haney said.
She reported that approximately 40,000 cu. yds. of fill (foreign borrow + common borrow excavation) will be used on the job. Approximately 250,000 tons of asphalt will be placed on the project.
Major equipment used on the job, all owned by Lindy Paving, includes a Caterpillar AP-1055D dozer; a Caterpillar D6K XL; a Wirtgen W210; Roadtec SB-2500C; a Sakai SW774; a Rosco Challenger III; and a Caterpillar 306.
Major subcontractors for the project include Gulisek Construction, Mt. Pleasant, Pa., performing structure work on the project; Green Acres Contracting, Scottdale, Pa., performing guiderail work; Parking Lot Painting, Bethel Park, Pa., performing line painting work; Vantage Corporation, Carnegie, Pa., performing signing and highway lighting work; and Plum Contracting, Greensburg, Pa., performing underdrain and widening excavation work.
According to PennDOT, Interstate 79 (I-79) is an interstate highway and a primary thoroughfare through western Pennsylvania. In District 11, I-79 goes through Allegheny and Lawrence counties starting at Mile Marker 50 and ending at Mile Marker 78 in Allegheny and extending in Lawrence from Mile Marker 105 to 111.
Multiple projects are planned and ongoing on this interstate. CEG
Brenda Ruggiero
Brenda Ruggiero has written for CEG for over 20 years. She lives near the town of Accident in far western Maryland. Her favorite assignments so far involved interviews with Survivor’s Boston Rob and hot dog eating champion Joey Chestnut. Both were involved in construction at one time.
Brenda holds a BA in Mass Communication with a writing focus from Frostburg State University and minors in Public Relations and Political Science. She works full time as a staff writer for a weekly newspaper, the Garrett County Republican. She enjoys feature writing the most, which gives her the opportunity to talk to people and share their stories.
Brenda and her middle school sweetheart, Reuben, have been married for over 34 years and have three grown children and four cats.
Read more from Brenda Ruggiero here.
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