PennDOT preping Butler projects worth tens of millions
CRANBERRY TWP — PennDOT is eyeing Butler County for road improvement projects with tens of millions in funding set to be spent on six county specific projects, largely located in the southwestern region, between now and 2028.
PennDOT leaders said Friday, April 18, at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center that the department anticipates spending more than $148 million this year to rehabilitate, reconstruct and resurface 195 miles of highways and work on 24 bridges across Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Indiana, and Jefferson counties.
According to district executive Brian Allen, the southwestern quadrant of Butler County with its consistent population growth has pushed PennDOT to consider how area roadways must be adjusted.
“We saw it starting to grow,” Allen said. “We worked with Cranberry Township, we did quite a few studies, and 2020, we got started.
“At that time it was one of the fastest growing communities in the country, so we knew we needed to look at expanding, but also trying to control access so as developments went in, it also didn’t outgrow what we were building.”
He highlighted a safety improvement project on Three Degree Road in Adams and Middlesex townships as one of PennDOT’s immediate areas of focus.
Allen said the main components of the project right now include adding new thruway and turn lanes and sidewalks, two new roundabouts, drainage and jughandle lanes at the intersection.
Estimated completion for the project is November, 2026 at a price tag totaling $55.8 million.
The projects touted elsewhere in Southwestern Butler County include plans for widening, drainage, and intersection improvements and new traffic signals on Freedom Road from the Beaver County line to Haine School Road in Cranberry Township. Anticipated completion is this fall, costing $18.5 million.
PennDOT also said it would complete road widening, adding turn lanes and site improvements on Franklin Road in Cranberry Township, from Route 228 to Peters Road, by 2027 for $19.2 million.
Allen said PennDOT is also looking to complete bridge replacement projects, located in Callery and Adams Township by fall 2025 at a price tag of $4.5 million. Work on the first structure along Kline Avenue near the Mars Evans City Road intersection was completed in 2024, and work on the second structure will begin in 2025 on Mars Evans City Road near the intersection with Kline Avenue.
Additionally, PennDOT has an ongoing safety enhancement project on the Route 68 corridor in Butler and Connoquenessing townships, including corridor improvements to reduce congestion from Stevenson Road to the intersection of Meridian Road/Benbrook Road.
Allen said the Route 68 corridor improvement safety project should be wrapped up by this fall, including turn lane installations and corridor improvements to enhance safety and reduce congestion at a cost $18.7 million.
In Butler and Summit townships, PennDOT is working on the Karns Crossing Bridge, over Connoquenessing Creek. Allen said the plan right now is that a new bridge will be built adjacent to the existent one, so that traffic won’t be disrupted on Route 68. Estimated completion is spring 2028, at total cost of $64.8 million.
Mike Carroll, Pennsylvania’s secretary of transportation emphasized the importance of driving the speed limit, turning on headlights in construction zones and paying close attention to signs and flaggers in order to keep road workers safe as projects ramp up into the summer.
“Folks that wear the hard hats and safety vests deserve to go home safely every day. Please slow down in work zones, please put down your cell phones, please obey the traffic control devices,” Carroll said.
PennDot officials will be at Jennings Environmental Education Center in Brady Township next Friday to hold an overview presentation of construction projects, design work and maintenance overview in Butler County.
<strong id="strong">Projects planned in Butler and Armstrong Counties</strong>
Butler County
- Widening, drainage, and intersection improvements including adding turn lanes and new traffic signals on Freedom Road from the Beaver County line to Haine School Road in Cranberry Township at a cost of $18.5 million. Anticipated completion in fall 2025.
- Safety enhancement project on the Route 68 corridor in Butler and Connoquenessing townships including a signal replacement, turn-lane installation, and corridor improvements to reduce congestion from Stevenson Road to the intersection of Meridian Road/Benbrook Road at a cost of $18.7 million. Anticipated completion in fall 2025.
- Safety improvement project on Three Degree Road in Adams and Middlesex townships that includes adding through and turn lanes, service roads, jug handles, drainage, guiderail updates, signal enhancements, sidewalks, Americans with Disabilities Act compliant ramps, and two roundabouts at a cost of $55.8 million. Anticipated completion in November 2026.
- Safety improvement project along Franklin Road in Cranberry Township that includes shoulder widening, rumble strip installation, and sight distance improvements from the intersection of Route 228 north to Peters Road at a cost of $19.2 million. Anticipated completion in fall 2027.
- Bridge replacement projects along Mars Evans City Road in Callery and Adams Township. Work on the first structure along Kline Avenue near the Mars Evans City Road intersection was completed in 2024. Work on the second structure will begin in 2025 on Mars Evans City Road near the intersection with Kline Avenue at a cost of $4.5 million. Anticipated completion in fall 2025.
- Intersection improvements and replacement of Karns Crossing Bridge on Route 68, which spans over the Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad and the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad as well as replacement of the arch culvert in Butler and Summit townships at a cost of $64.8 million. Anticipation completion in spring of 2028.
Armstrong County
- Safety improvement project on Route 28/66 (Goheenville Dip) in Pine Township including roadway realignment, bridge replacements, continuing a truck climbing lane, and adding turning lanes at intersecting roads at a cost of $16.6 million. Anticipated completion in spring 2025.
- Bridge preservation activities on the structure carrying Route 422 over the Allegheny River in North Buffalo and Manor townships. This project also includes bridge rehabilitations on Route 66, the Graff Bridge ramp over Route 422/Garretts Run Road and Garretts Run at a cost of $45.6 million. Anticipated completion in fall 2027.
