PennDOT unveils plans for Walnut Hill Road interchagne
While the public and local officials got their first look Wednesday at plans to complete the Walnut Hill Road interchange, it will be at least three more years before the $4 million to $6 million project is finished. Three alternatives have been developed for the design of the rest of the interchange, which was originally constructed in 1972 but with only one access point onto and off of Route 119. The designs of all three alternatives were on display at the session, held at the South Union Township Municipal Building.
Of the proposals, one would complete the diamond interchange, another would call for construction of new ramps farther south of the present interchange, and the third would reconfigure the current interchange to include access from all directions.
William Beaumariage, project manager for the state Department of Transportation, said PennDOT will select one of the three alternatives after hearing from the public about the proposals. He said the public has to be involved so that PennDOT can be aware of any issues about the proposed areas that may have been missed during preliminary design.
“We believe we have alternatives that are economical, safe and can tie in with the current construction,” he said. “We want to make sure we’ve looked at everything before we move ahead.”
He said funds are available for final design, right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation for the proposed site, but money has yet to be allocated for actual construction. Officials hope that all of the necessary funds will be in place by the time construction begins in summer 2005.
In developing the plans, engineers assumed when figuring traffic counts for the next 20 years that the Mon/Fayette Expressway’s Uniontown-to-Brownsville link will be completed and the toll road’s extension from the state line to Interstate 68 near Morgantown, W.Va., also will be finished.
URS Corporation of Bridgeville is the consulting engineer on the project and will use the information and feedback gathered Wednesday to help in advancing the project design.
South Union Township Supervisor Robert Schiffbauer said government officials are well aware of the need to complete the interchange, because the area near there could be ripe for future development. He said that Kmart had looked at locating a store in that area several years ago but decided against it because the interchange was not complete.
“This started to get moving a while ago, but it slowed down a bit,” he said. “I think PennDOT wants to get moving again, and it is obvious they are doing exactly that.”
He said economic development will occur in that area as soon as ramps are built or even before, because of the potential of the site. While he would have preferred the development had happened years earlier, he said the results of PennDOT’s efforts now will be seen in the near future.
More than 100 acres of property is being marketed for commercial development, but a developer has not yet signed on to purchase the land. Another 20 acres is earmarked for residential development.
Several residents who live near the current interchange came to see the plans and express concern that the new construction will affect their homes.
John Hardy said the addition of the new ramps will lower the value of his Wharton Street home and will lower the desirability of the property if he ever chooses to sell it. He said PennDOT is still unsure if his home will be taken as part of the pre-construction process, but he said he was not pleased with the lack of answers from the PennDOT officials who attended Wednesday’s meeting.
“I’m sitting in limbo,” he said.
Mary Burke of Franklin Avenue said the completion of the interchange is long overdue and will alleviate traffic from other areas, especially Morgantown Road. She said the full interchange will be helpful to motorists and truck drivers alike.