Masontown bridge could cause economic woes
MASONTOWN – With the initial design phase for the Masontown Bridge nearing completion, at least one borough councilman is concerned that the final plan for the massive new structure will cause economic difficulties for Masontown. And Tom Loukota is specifically concerned that while the state attempts to make the Route 21 corridor safer, they may actually increase the risks along the busy stretch of highway.
Loukota is concerned that the elimination of a traffic signal, which was proposed by the council for the intersection of Redwood Street and Route 21 during initial planning of the project in 2003, will hurt the borough and its residents.
“Those businesses are doomed to one-way traffic and the proposal will load traffic at our other exits,” Loukota said. “And, with the nursing home there, it becomes a safety issue.”
Two restaurants, a mini-mall, several doctors’ offices as well as a nursing home operate at the junction.
Loukota also said that if an accident blocks one of the other three entrances to Masontown, a bottleneck would form at the second exit and without the third exit at the junction of Redwood and Route 21, the lack of a signal would create a possible safety risk for borough residents.
But state Department of Transportation project manager William Beaumariage said the state has chosen the safest and most cost effective plan available.
“To put a signal up along a highway it has to meet certain warrants,” Beaumariage said. “They introduce a conflict point with each light. We are going to introduce a light on River Avenue because there is more traffic and it connects with Redwood.”
The plans for the new bridge and the sections of Route 21 leading to it will seal the heavily traveled roadway with jersey barriers from the traffic signal at Brodak’s Shop n’ Save to the Fayette County side of the bridge.
Loukota said when the state installed the traffic light at Brodak’s; the grocery store was the only business there. Now he said because the light has created egress, a service station and several smaller stores in a mini-mall have begun to thrive at the junction.
He said that a light at the Redwood, Route 21 interchange could help the businesses there to expand and succeed as well but Beaumariage disagrees and said that the jersey barriers are necessary for traffic safety.
“We have talked with emergency management services and fire and basically everything on the Masontown side is fed on the Masontown interchange and River Avenue and then connected by a grid of borough streets,” Beaumariage said. “Route 21 was added to our transportation improvement program and it was added because it has the second highest fatality rate per mile because of head on collisions. The jersey barrier will help.”
Loukota said construction on the bridge is still a few years away, but action needs to be taken now.
“PennDOT is well aware of the situation,” Loukota said. “There is property available at the site and there is no hardship.”
In February, the state Department of Transportation said the final design was close to completion for the proposed multi-million dollar, four-lane bridge.
The new bridge will replace the two-lane bridge that connects Fayette and Greene counties over the Monongahela River.
Working in conjunction with SAI Consulting Engineers of Pittsburgh, the state secured funding for the design phase of the bridge project through the Federal Highway Administration.
The proposed new bridge and subsequent roadwork on the three-mile stretch being revamped, is estimated to cost about $75 million with improvements planned from the Route 88 intersection in Greene County to just past the Route 166 interchange with Route 21 on the Fayette County side.
Included in the proposal is a turn-around spot at the River Avenue junction with Route 21 for motorists interested in accessing the Pizza Hut and Subway restaurants as well as Jordan’s Auto Parts, the doctor’s offices and the nursing home.
The Masontown exit is the only exit along Route 21 to be completely affected by the proposed changes.
A public meeting to further discuss the project is slated for next year.
If construction begins as planned in 2008, the bridge should be completed by 2011, Beaumariage said.