Work to widen the congested stretch of Route 19 that runs through the Wexford Flats will not start until summer 2008 at the earliest.

That starting date for the long-discussed work in Pine and McCandless assumes that funding for the $9.8 million project will be included in the state's Transportation Improvement Program.

The program, overseen by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, sets highway construction and spending priorities for 10 counties.

PennDOT engineers, municipal officials, business owners and people living in the area began discussing the project more than 20 years ago, and several scenarios have been considered.

One of the more controversial options proposed adding a median strip or concrete barrier between opposing traffic lanes that would have limited left turns.

The latest version of the highway improvement plan calls for widening the four-lane road from 42 feet to 58 feet and creating a turning lane, according to Shaun Werner, project manager with the state Department of Transportation. The fifth lane would permit left turns along the length of the busy commercial street.

About 2¹/₄ miles of Route 19, also known as Perry Highway, would be widened between the crest of Pine Creek Hill in McCandless, just south of North Allegheny Senior High School, and North Chapel Drive in Pine.

At the urging of municipal officials, the project includes sidewalks along the length of the corridor, which is lined with shopping centers, auto dealerships, restaurants and strip commercial areas. Municipal officials have been pushing for sidewalks to link areas of their communities and to encourage people to walk rather than drive. The plan doesn't call for new traffic lights, but existing signals would be updated.

While many business owners had complained that a divided highway would hurt their businesses, the current plan has the support of the Northern Allegheny Chamber of Commerce. It also drew support from Pine and McCandless officials at a Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission hearing last month.

"We are all thrilled with the latest plan and anxious to get it moving," said Mary Margaret Fisher, executive director of the chamber of commerce.

Road widening would require land purchases involving about 120 parcels, according to Mr. Werner. Under Federal Highway Administration rules, the state cannot begin to buy land until construction funds have been allocated through the Transportation Improvement Program, he said. The federal government would pay 80 percent of the project costs.

"One of the misconceptions about this project is that extra right of way will be needed for the sidewalks," said Scott Anderson, director of code administration and land development. Plans call for sidewalks to be constructed above areas already set aside for underground utility lines, he said.

Pine has been setting aside money to cover its share of the costs for several years, he said.

"Our town council supports the Route 19 plan as a good compromise," said Bruce Betty, McCandless land use administrator. The proposal for a fifth lane will improve highway safety and still offer motorists good access to businesses along the highway, he said.

The chamber of commerce office is in Brooktree Center, just west of Route 19, and Ms. Fisher knows from personal experience about traffic problems on the busy highway.

"There are people who avoid coming through this area because of the heavy traffic and concern about accidents," she said. The PennDOT plan will make the road safer, help traffic flow more smoothly and aid businesses, she said.

"The chamber and business people are behind this plan because it will encourage more people to drive by and see all that we have in this area," she said.