Work on a multi-year project to reconstruct a 2.5 mile section of Route 6 in the City of Meadville and West Mead Township is scheduled to begin soon. 

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the purpose of the project is to maintain traffic efficiency and meet community transportation needs while improving the geometry of the roadway. 

To do so, the roadway will be reduced from four lanes to two lanes and a multi-use trail will be constructed between the intersection with Reynolds Ave. in the City of Meadville to the intersection with Baldwin St. Extension in West Mead Township. 

Reconstruction work will include breaking the concrete to create a foundation for the new roadway, concrete patching, milling, asphalt paving, drainage, sidewalk, ADA ramps, guiderail, pavement markings and erosion control. 

Work will be completed in the following phases: 

  • Phase 1 is expected to start in mid-August and will include constructing temporary crossovers and removal of some curbs. This will allow traffic to be shifted to the current westbound side of the roadway. During this portion of the project, drivers may encounter some lane restrictions.
  • Phase 2 is expected to start in late August. It will start with milling and paving portions of Route 6, Baldwin Street, Park Road, and Stan Road. Work will also start on the multi-use trail and drainage improvements. In mid-October, work is expected to include the construction of mountable curbs near the intersections with Bessmer Street and Reynolds Avenue. Work will start on the new roadway, which will be reconstructed in the location of the current westbound lanes.
  • Phase 3 is expected to start mid-June 2025. Work will include updates to the intersection with Bessmer Street and Reynolds Avenue. Additional drainage updates will be made and the existing pavement from the southern side of the road and the temporary crossover will be removed.

As work progresses to each intersection, the signals will be on flashing mode. Traffic will be controlled by flaggers as needed. 

Once the new roadway is completed, PennDOT says traffic will be shifted to the permanent configuration on the northern side of the current roadway. 

The project is scheduled to begin on August 12, 2024. It is expected to be completed in fall 2025. 

More information on the Route 6 Reconstruction Project can be found on PennDOT's website.