Jul 29, 2010 4 min read

By Frances Borsodi Zajac DUNBAR TWP. – The state Department of Transportation is working to ease traffic conditions at a construction project on Route 119 near the Fayette County Fairgrounds as the 56th annual Fayette County Fair opens at 6 p.m. today. During the fair, which runs through Saturday, Aug. 7, plans call for two lanes of traffic to be open in the northbound segment from the Burger King restaurant at Laurel Mall to Pechin Road, the turn that leads to the entrances and parking lots for the fairgrounds, according to Brian Hart, assistant construction engineer and Valerie Peterson, community relations coordinator for PennDOT District 12.

On the southbound side, Hart said, the one-lane restriction near Ye Olde Inn and Speedy Meedy’s gas station also will be opened to two lanes during the 10 days of the fair. A large message board will announce the left lane will be exclusively for traffic turning left onto Pechin Road to go to the fair.

“They will have it open in time for the fair to start,” said Peterson.

She explained that crews have been stepping up the work in recent days to make this possible, causing some more traffic congestion than normal in the past few days. The one-lane restrictions in the area will resume after the 10-day fair closes.

The overall scope of the work is a $4.4 million concrete overlay project on just more than two miles of Route 119 in North Union and Dunbar townships between Connellsville Street and Pechin Road. The project includes milling, resurfacing, improving bituminous shoulders and updating the signage. Also included are pavement markings, drainage, guardrail and signal replacements and upgrades.

The project will be completed in mid-September.

Peterson said there are no changes in the traffic patterns in Connellsville, which is undergoing construction on the Memorial Bridge. The $14 million Connellsville project should be completed in late 2011.

Meanwhile, Bill Jackson, president of the Fayette County Agricultural Association, said Wednesday that the fair’s parking crews would work hard to keep traffic moving as people are parking their vehicles.

“We don’t want to be the cause of delays,” he said. “We’re trying to do everything we can to help.”

Jackson noted that the first entrance to the fairgrounds off Pechin Road from Route 119 is for exhibitors and handicapped parking only. Everyone else needs to go to the next entrance. Officials hope that people will keep moving to reduce delays instead of stopping at the first entrance, only to be directed to the next entrance.

Meanwhile, Jackson said, “Things are shaping up well for the fair. The grounds look good. Most of the projects are completed. The carnival is pretty well in place. Vendors are set up or partially set up. The new barns are completed and we’re happy with them.”

Jackson said advance tickets sales have gone well this year with fair staff delivering more tickets to venues that were running out. Advance ticket sales ended Wednesday.

Jackson also noted there is no early bird admission available today as the fair officially begins at 6 p.m. Early bird admission will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday as well as Aug. 2-6. There is no early bird admission on Saturdays and Sundays.

The fair also operates several free admission days. The first will be Sunday when each person with an Aug. 1 church bulletin will be admitted free to the fair until 2 p.m. This does not include the carnival and Outdoor Arena events but an upgrade can be purchased at the fair office to include these areas.

Meanwhile, the opening ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m. today with the firefighters’ parade throughout the fairgrounds, demolition derby at the Outdoor Arena and baked goods judging in the Home Economics building beginning at 7 p.m. Fair queen contestants will ride in the parade and the fair queen contest will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Fiddlers Building. Entertainment includes The Stickers, which will play at 7:30 p.m. on the Lady Luck Stage in the Indoor Arena.

Jackson also called attention to the fair’s first Fayette Idol competition. Preliminary rounds were held prior to the start of the fair. The semifinal round will be held at 8 p.m. Wednesday in the Fiddlers Building, and finals will take place at 8 p.m. Aug. 6, also in the Fiddlers Building.

More information on the fair is available online at www.fayettefair.com.