Uniontown to Brownsville link of the Mon/Fayette Expressway
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s recent commitment to begin actual construction on the Uniontown-to-Brownsville 15-mile section of the Mon/Fayette Expressway is a huge step forward. State Sen. Rich Kasunic deserves a round of applause for his dedication and commitment to the goal of seeing the expressway completed.
The senator, a state representative at the time, was almost alone among local elected officials who raised their voices in protest when the Brownsville section was dropped from the expressway plan years ago.
That protest, with Kasunic’s participation, leadership and support, succeeded in gaining the ear of Gov. Bob Casey. Governor Casey ordered that the Brownsville section be restored, and overruled all of the state highway planners and state officials.
Kasunic, in the latest news story on the expressway, acknowledged that there is no new money available for construction of the section, estimated to cost $360 million.
But there remains the possibility that funding could be gained through the refinancing of bonds, the proceeds of which were used to finance construction of the I-70 to Route 51 section of the expressway and environmental impacts studies for the Route 51 to Pittsburgh link and the Findlay connector, and design work on the Southern Beltway.
Senator Kasunic said he would like to see any funds available be used to construct the bridge over the Mon River, just south of Brownsville. That project is estimated to cost up to $80 million.
If the bridge is not possible, Kasunic would recommend construction of an interchange or even a few miles of the highway. As the senator realizes, actual construction in any shape or size is a step forward, and creates an incentive for the final completion of the entire section.
The economic development experts and strategic planners agree that the expressway represents the single most important project in the economic recovery of Fayette County.
With the expressway completed, Fayette County’s chances for new industry, and jobs, will improve significantly. Without the expressway, the possibilities for new economic developments remain few in number, being severely handicapped by the lack of a modern highway transportation system required by industrial investors.
Design work on the Brownsville section is in the final stages, and the purchase of land along the route is under way. Money was made available through long-term bonds to cover all of those costs.
The turnpike project manager for the Brownsville link noted that construction could begin by late 2005, but that will depend on how much money, if any, remains in the expressway budget after the current work is completed.
The turnpike’s commitment to use any remaining funds for the Brownsville construction also means the pressure brought by some Pittsburgh officials has not succeeded. There are some in Pittsburgh who want their portion of the project built first while the Brownsville route would be left to grow weeds
The other vital connection to the expressway remains in doubt. West Virginia’s four-mile section from I-68 to the Pennsylvania state line is frustratingly close to completion.
One bridge and a two-mile level section of the West Virginia highway have been or are near completion. One major bridge remains to be constructed, but the economic downturn apparently has shifted federal funding priorities to other projects in West Virginia.
Perhaps, in all of the dust being stirred up over slot machines in Pennsylvania, a few of those gambling revenue dollars could be allocated to the expressway project, even if it’s in the form of financing another long-term bond.
In the meantime, Senator Kasunic realizes the importance of the expressway project to the future of Fayette County. He has focused all of his energies, and put his political career on the line at times, in moving the project forward to the next step as progress is slowly made.
Much progress has been made, but Kasunic, and other longtime expressway supporters know, from experience, the only time to celebrate is when the concrete is dry in the roadbed.