Jun 20, 2002 By Amy Karpinsky 3 min read

The Brownsville-to-Uniontown section of the Mon/Fayette Expressway likely will be built before the Route 51-to-Pittsburgh section of the highway, according to a Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission official. Engineer David E. Zazworsky, special assistant to the commission for development of the expressway, said that while nothing is certain, the local section is almost three years ahead of the Pittsburgh section and definitely will be ready for construction sooner. He noted that in the past, sections that are ready for construction usually are built before those lagging behind.

Allegheny County Chief Executive Jim Roddey has said the Route 51-to-Pittsburgh section should be built first because it would generate the most revenue; however, local officials expressed concerns that the Pittsburgh section could take years to build and the Brownsville-to-Uniontown section might never be built.

Zazworsky said it was important that support for the expressway not be divided over which section gets built first, and he called on local residents to back the Pittsburgh section. He noted that some opposition to the Pittsburgh section has sprouted, and it’s important for local residents to let federal officials know how important it is that the expressway be completed.

Zazworsky was one of five people involved in the expressway project to attend a question-and-answer session Wednesday before the Herald-Standard editorial board.

The representatives provided an update on the toll road that, when completed, will stretch from Interstate 68 near Morgantown, W.Va., through the Uniontown and Brownsville areas and the Mon Valley to Pittsburgh. Sections going from Uniontown south to West Virginia and from Interstate 70 to Route 51 already are completed and open to traffic.

Engineer Kenneth L. Slippey said the Brownsville-to-Uniontown section is halfway through a preliminary design phase that should be completed by the end of this year. At that time, the exact route will be established, down to the houses that will be acquired, and public meetings will be held.

After that, Slippey said, the two-year final design process of engineering for bridges and other construction will begin. He said right-of-way acquisition should begin at the end of this year, and construction should start in 2005.

Slippey said a number of consultants will be brought on board during final design, including one that will deal exclusively with the Monongahela River bridge crossing. He said turnpike officials are working on an aggressive schedule, but he doesn’t foresee anything that will delay the project.

“We’re at least two years ahead of the 51-to-Pittsburgh section,” he said.

Zazworsky said money for final design and right-of-way acquisition is already committed for the Uniontown-to-Brownsville and the Route 51-to-Pittsburgh links. He said in his 41-plus years of working on highway projects, he doesn’t know of a project that has been ready to go that didn’t get built.

With the support of state Sen. Richard Kasunic (D-Dunbar) and other local lawmakers, Zazworsky said, the project will likely move forward. He said the support of the next governor also is necessary.

Zazworsky said he is anticipating that a record of decision will be issued in mid-2003 for the Route 51-to-Pittsburgh link. The rest of the work is likely to take until at least 2007 before it is ready to go to construction, he said.

Thomas A. Fox, public involvement manager for the turnpike commission, said he anticipates that in one year, “all 100 miles will be in final design or open.” He said the entire project is necessary for southwestern Pennsylvania.

“Better transportation is needed in this region,” he said. “We need to go full speed ahead to get the 100 miles built.”