After 40 years of discussion and 20 years of planning, preliminary work on a $14.3 million project to widen the Wexford Flats portion of Route 19 should begin about this time next year, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation officials said.
The officials met with community leaders and members of the public at North Allegheny Senior High School last night to explain and answer questions about the project, which has been on PennDOT's books since 1978 but had been discussed for at least a decade prior to that.
The plan involves adding a center turning lane and widening the two existing lanes on the 21/4 miles of road running from the intersection of North Church, North Chapel and Manor roads south along Route 19 to Longvue Avenue.
Scores of businesses, shopping plazas and car dealerships front the road, which is located in Pine and McCandless townships.
North Allegheny Senior High School is also located along the flats section of Route 19.
"It's a crucial project," said state Rep. Mike Turzai, R-Bradford Woods. "It's maybe the most important project in Western Pennsylvania. It has to get done."
PennDOT estimates 39,000 vehicles travel the road every day. Congestion and safety are major concerns.
Next year at this time, PennDOT expects to start work on drainage issues and build a 400-foot retaining wall along North Church Road, said Eric C. Meyer, an associate with the engineering and architectural firm Whitman, Requardt and Associates in Seven Fields.
The actual construction will then be split into two phases. The first phase, which should begin in the spring of 2011, will focus on the southern end of the flats. PennDOT will work on the northern portion in 2012.
In addition to adding the 14-foot turning lane, each of the two existing 10-foot lanes will be widened by 5 feet, Mr. Meyer said.
PennDOT will also construct sidewalks along the road, but that part of the project will be paid for with federal money and contributions from Pine and McCandless, said PennDOT spokesman Shaun E. Werner.
State money for the widening project is in place and the only issue left to be settled is right-of-way acquisitions for about 100 mostly commercial properties, Mr. Werner said.
First Published: November 6, 2009, 5:00 a.m.
