Aug 13, 2002 By Patty Shultz 3 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – Motoring through the city was slowed somewhat on Monday as two road construction projects got under way. “Patience is going to have to be the key word,” said Connellsville Mayor Judy Reed as she relayed stories of traffic tie-ups and other problems related to construction work along Route 119 and East Crawford Avenue.

Crews were milling the Memorial Bridge roadway, which restricted the normal two-lane traffic flow into one lane in both the north and southbound lanes.

Large arrow boards and orange signs alerted Route 119 drivers to the lane shift at the busy West Crawford Avenue intersection.

The same type of signage greeted those in the southbound direction, moving traffic into the left lanes so that equipment could chip away at the existing asphalt in the right lane of the bridge.

At noon, traffic was being stopped briefly by flagmen as machinery was moved to another area.

PennDOT assistant construction engineer Bill Kovach said Golden Eagle Construction Co. Inc. of Uniontown would be completing the milling and repaving of the bridge through Tuesday.

“They should move to the passing lanes (in both directions) by tomorrow (Tuesday) and that should finish that project,” said Kovach.

Traffic was moving more slowly in the eastern part of the city as vehicles shared one lane to move along East Crawford Avenue.

Donegal Construction Inc. had removed several feet of roadway near the intersection of Breakneck Road by noontime on Monday.

“For the first day it’s moving along pretty well,” said Kovach.

Earlier in the day, traffic had been snarled after a car broke down in the moving lane of traffic and had to be pushed onto a side street.

“That stopped traffic for a little while, but since then things have been moving along,” Kovach said.

The roadwork was slated to get under way in early July, but due to utility line replacement by Pennsylvania-American Water Co. and Columbia Gas in the same area, the project was delayed for nearly six weeks.

Kovach, meanwhile, said he is hoping the work at the Breakneck Road/East Crawford Avenue intersection is finished within two weeks.

“We want to get this done before school starts,” he said.

Access to Breakneck Road from East Crawford is closed off to traffic while the roadwork is being completed.

Connellsville Area High School principal Bob McLuckey said the completion of the intersection work would alleviate several transportation problems that would occur if buses would be restricted to move through the area.

The buses utilize the intersection to access the city neighborhoods and Route 119.

Connellsville Police Department Capt. Ed McSheffrey said on-duty officers had not responded to any accidents or assistance calls in the area. Traffic will be maintained along East Crawford with around-the-clock flagmen directing the flow of traffic throughout the course of the project.

After the intersection work is completed, crews will begin removing the pavement along East Crawford Avenue to Snyder Street. Only emergency vehicles and those living in the construction area with PennDOT permission will be able to access the road.

All other traffic will be rerouted from East Crawford to Breakneck Road onto Falcon Drive and Locust Street before entering onto Falcon Drive and Locust Street before entering onto Snyder Street to East Crawford when traveling west into the city. Those leaving Connellsville will follow the detour in reverse.

The second phase of the project, which will continue from the current construction zone to Snyder Street, is expected to take several months to complete.