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Road projects slow Connellsville traffic

By Joyce Koballa 3 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – Motorists traveling southbound to the Route 119/201 intersection will be restricted to one lane for another few weeks as a New York-based development firm continues to install a traffic signal to the entrance of a 45,000-square-foot strip mall under construction. Liberty Hill, acting maintenance project engineer for PennDOT District 12, said in order to keep traffic moving at a steadier pace during the installation, the state has adjusted the traffic signal at the Route 119/Crawford Avenue intersection near Sheetz to allow for another 10 seconds of green time.

“It’s just the necessary evil to try and get the work done,” said Hill.

For the most part, Connellsville police Capt. Ed McSheffrey said traffic seems to moving pretty steadily with minimal delays typical for such construction projects.

McSheffrey added that he was unaware of any accidents resulting from the one-lane restriction.

According to Valerie Peterson, public relations spokeswoman for PennDOT, the developer is responsible for drafting the traffic signal plans in conjunction with mitigating the traffic that would be affected.

“We’re making sure they’re following the plans that they supplied to us,” said Peterson.

Widewaters Development Group of New York is constructing the strip mall, which includes Martin’s Food Market as the anchor tenant of the project’s first phase.

Once completed, the strip mall also will include a Dollar Tree, Check-N-Go and Holiday Hair.

In addition to installing a traffic light, Widewaters is widening the road to the store’s entrance, also contributing to the delays.

Officials from Widewaters could not be reached for comment.

The good news, said Hill, is that PennDOT crews are expected to wrap up the project by inspecting the light the first week of July.

However, Hill said other road improvements that will immediately follow will once again restrict traffic northbound to one lane for those traveling to Connellsville.

Hill said that project is expected to take roughly two to three weeks to complete.

“They were shooting for the end of July or early August to be done,” said Hill.

While the city continues to experience traffic delays over the next several weeks, motorists southbound along Route 119 can expect similar lane closures for the next mile as they approach the new Wal-Mart Super Center in Dunbar Township.

Hill said traffic there also will be restricted to one lane as that developer installs a traffic signal for the business entrance.

Coincidently, Hill said, both projects were granted highway occupancy permits within a week of each other.

“We knew this would be a high-profile location, but that’s just the way the timing fell,” said Hill.

Peterson said the permits are needed to make sure the roadways can accommodate the influx of traffic to the areas affected by the businesses.

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