Connellsville road work set to begin
CONNELLSVILLE – Those utilizing the northbound lanes of Route 119 (Eighth Street) to travel to work or the doctor’s office are being advised to set their alarm clocks a little earlier beginning June 16 in order to arrive at their destinations on time. “It’s going to be a mess,” said city police Chief Stephen P. Cooper on Tuesday.
The cause of the delays will be that work crews from Columbia Gas will be installing new main and service lines within the sidewalk before the intersection with Crawford Avenue, near Schmitz Tire Service, and then along Crawford Avenue as the project progresses.
Cooper said the work would be encompassed within the intersection, moving across the Crawford Avenue lanes of traffic, near McCandless Insurance to the St. John Evangelist R.C. Church.
The project will then cross over the Route 119 northbound lanes to Sheetz.
Traffic traveling northbound on Route 119 will be restricted to the left lane, shortly after entering the city limits with Crawford Avenue traffic being curtailed from three lanes (one east and two westbound) to a single lane in each direction.
“The larger delivery trucks that are permitted to use Crawford Avenue will have to find an alternate route to their businesses because they will not be able to make the turn off of Route 119,” said Cooper. Tri-axles and tractor-trailer trucks are prohibited from utilizing Crawford Avenue at any time.
The flow of traffic will not improve as the gas company completes its upgrading work, according to Cooper, as Pennsylvania American Water Co. (PAWC) will be starting its line replacement project in the same area.
“PAWC plans to follow right behind Columbia Gas,” he said.
The two utility companies are to have the work completed by Aug. 15, when the state Department of Transportation plans to begin its overhaul of the Crawford Avenue intersection and the north and southbound lanes of Route 119.
Cooper said traffic signs and police officers would assist drivers trying to traverse through the work area.
“My best advice would be to avoid the west side of the city as much as possible,” said Cooper. “If that’s not possible, give yourself some extra time and pay attention to the signs and to the officers at the intersections.
“If the signs instruct you to move to the left lane, do it.”
The current work schedule is slated to begin at 7:30 a.m. and conclude about 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.