More than 50 projects worth more than $100 million were under construction in 2019 in the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's northwest region. 

Bids for 79 contracts were let in 2019 at a value of about $167 million, which included 47 roadway and 32 bridge projects in District 1, which includes Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango and Warren counties.

In addition to the projects that were bid, construction was underway on some major multi-year projects. Some of those projects include:

  • Route 20 – Girard Township, Erie County, bridge rehabilitation, $6.6 million;
  • Interchange Road and Zimmerly Road – Millcreek Township, Erie County, roadway reconstruction and bridge rehabilitation, $21 million;
  • Interstate 79 – Milepost 178 to milepost 182.5, Millcreek Township, Erie County, $5.98 million;
  • 38th Street – City of Erie, Erie County, intersection safety improvement, $440,000;
  • East State Street – City of Sharon, Mercer County; roadway restoration and streetscape from Forker Boulevard to Oakland Avenue, $5.2 million;
  • Various bridges over I-80 – Venango County; preservation projects, $2.5 million; and
  • Route 27 – roadway resurfacing and bridge rehabilitation in Pittsfield Township, Warren County, $4 million.

PennDOT also improved the interstate highways in the northwest counties with four interstate resurfacing projects, including the start of a reconstruction and preservation project along the eastern portion of Interstate 90 in Erie County.

During the first year of the $40-million I-90 project, the Huntley Road Bridge over I-90 was replaced in Springfield Township, preservation work was completed on the east and westbound lanes from mile marker 10 to mile marker 18, and crossovers were construction in preparation for future work. Plans for 2020 call for the reconstruction of the interstate from the Ohio state line to mile marker 3.5. 

In 2019, District 1 paved approximately 140 miles of roads in the six-county northwest region and had about 40 bridge projects either bid or under construction.

County maintenance units in the six counties of District 1 used more than 73,050 tons of recycled asphalt to resurface about 45 miles of secondary roads.

Maintenance units in the counties also used more than 15,000 tons of material to patch potholes and sealed surface cracks on more than 900 miles of road.

Here is a list of some of the major projects in each of the six counties that were under construction in the northwestern region in 2019:

There are 21 projects completed or started in Crawford County, including:

  • Big I (Routes 6, 322, 19 and 98) – Vernon Township, intersection safety improvement, roundabout, $6.1 million;
  • Route 6 and Route 886 – Borough of Cambridge Springs and Cambridge Township, roadway resurfacing and restoration, $2.4 million;
  • Route 198 – Summerhill Township, replacement of two bridges, $180,000;
  • Route 322 – Fallowfield Township, bridge replacement, $645,000;
  • Route 322 – Shenango Township, bridge replacement, $1 million;
  • Route 77 – Athens, Bloomfield and Richmond townships, roadway resurfacing, $2.9 million;

There are 32 projects completed or started in Erie County, including:

  • I-90 – Milepost 0 to milepost 3.5, Springfield Township, Erie County, roadway reconstruction, $40 million;
  • I-86 eastbound – Milepost 1 to milepost 7, Greenfield Township, roadway preservation, $7.5 million; 
  • I-86 westbound – Improvements to the I-90 exit, $200,000;
  • Bayfront Parkway (Route 4034) – City of Erie, resurfacing from Greengarden and Sassafras Street, $2 million;
  • Route 19 (Peach Street) – City of Erie, roadway restoration from 26th Street to 38th Street; $1.4 million;
  • Route 290 – City of Erie, intersection safety improvement at Buffalo Road, $3.3 million;
  • Route 19 and Route 197 – Borough of Waterford and Waterford Township, intersection safety improvement, $4.7 million;
  • Zimmerman Road (local) – City of Erie, paving from 33rd Street to 38th Street, $170,000;
  • Caughey Road – Millcreek Township, pedestrian safety improvements from Route 20 to Route 832, $465,000; and
  • 18th Street (local) – City of Erie, Phase 4 (final) of streetscape in Little Italy neighborhood, $176,000.

There are five projects completed or started in Forest County, including:

  • Route 62 and Route 36 – Borough of Tionesta and Tionesta Township, roadway resurfacing, $3.1 million;
  • Route 666 – Howe Township, retaining wall repairs, $497,000;
  • River Road (Route 2002) – Barnett Township, roadway resurfacing, $918,000; and
  • German Hill Road (Route 4004) – Green and Kingsley townships, roadway resurfacing, $500,000.

There are 23 projects completed or started in Mercer County, including:

  • Route 62 and State Street – City of Hermitage, intersection safety improvement, roundabout, $3.2 million;
  • Route 208 – Pine Township and Borough of Grove City, resurfacing from Lake Road to Route 58, $1.3 million;
  • Route 58 – Greene Township, bridge rehabilitation, $380,00;
  • Route 173 – Sandy Lake and Mill Creek townships, New Lebanon and Sandy Lake boroughs, resurfacing, $2.7 million; and
  • Various local roads – Borough of Sharpsville, reconstruction of West High and North Sixth streets, $433,000.

There are 15 projects completed or started in Venango County, including:

  • Route 257 and Route 322 – Cranberry Township, roadway resurfacing, $2.7 million;
  • Atlantic Avenue (Route 4004) – City of Franklin, roadway restoration from Route 322 to North 13th Street, $760,000;
  • Various routes – City of Oil City, Barkeyville and Sugarcreek boroughs, Irwin and Cranberry townships, roadway resurfacing, $1.3 million; and
  • Various bridges – Oil City and Franklin cities, Borough of Emlenton, Cranberry, Sandycreek, Victory, and Clinton townships, preservation work on six bridges, $1.4 million.

There are 16 projects completed or started Warren County, including:

  • Route 62 – Watson and Limestone townships, Hickory Township in Forest County, landslide repairs and roadway resurfacing, $13.4 million;
  • Route 6 – Sheffield Township, roadway resurfacing, $3.4 million;
  • Brown Run Road (Route 2010) – Mead Township, bridge replacement, $1.2 million;
  • Route 6 over Ludlow Street – City of Warren, bridge rehabilitation, $800,000;
  • Route 957 – Columbus, Freehold and Sugar Grove townships and Sugar Grove borough, roadway resurfacing from Erie County line to Lottsville, $4.2 million; and
  • Route 27 – Pittsfield Township, roadway resurfacing from Route 6 to Route 426, $1 million.