Paving project to restrict Freeport Road traffic, among others, through November

A $9 million PennDOT paving project will restrict traffic for several months in some areas of the Alle-Kiski Valley.

Work on the project began in June and is expected to be complete by late November, PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan said.

Alle-Kiski Valley roads that will be affected include Freeport Road and Bakerstown Road.

The work along Freeport Road covers a five-mile stretch from Pillow Avenue in Cheswick to Bailies Run Road in East Deer.

About 12,600 vehicles used the road between Pillow Avenue and Riddle Run Road per day, and nearly 8,600 vehicles use the road between Crawford Run Road and Bailies Run Road each day.

Crews are currently working in various locations in East Deer repairing joints, installing new inlets and patching concrete, Cowan said.

Traffic along Freeport Road is being restricted to one lane in each direction from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays and 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. weeknights. Motorists should also expect weekend work, Cowan said.

“For the majority of the work on Freeport it will be single-lane alternating traffic controlled by flaggers,” Cowan said. “There are areas where there is a turning lane so one lane can be restricted to keep bi-directional traffic flowing.”

Additional work along Freeport Road includes milling and paving, shoulder and base repairs and drainage improvements, Cowan said.

Greg Wilson is a lot attendant at Michael’s Auto Sales, located at the intersection of Freeport and Crawford Run roads. Wilson said traffic has been bad since the construction started.

The other day, he got stuck behind a line of 15 to 20 cars when he was about a block away from work.

It took him 15 minutes to get there.

“That’s my main thing, is the traffic. They get them stopped, and they don’t let them go for 15, 20 minutes,” Wilson said. “You never think 15 minutes is long, but when you’re sitting in a car, just sitting there, that’s a long time.”

The roadwork has also hurt business. Wilson said people are more concerned with getting through the construction than coming to the used car dealership.

“Everybody isn’t worried about looking here, they’re all worried about going. Nobody’s stopping. They just want to get through,” Wilson said. “It’s been slow since they started working.”

Maria Chepelsky of Tarentum has driven through the construction a couple of times. She usually tries to avoid it.

“It’s inconvenient,” Chepelsky said.

Bakerstown Road work

The work on Bakerstown Road is taking place from Lardintown Road in Fawn to Freeport Road in Harrison.

The hours in which that work will take place hadn’t been determined as of Wednesday. But Cowan said traffic on that road will also be restricted to single, alternating lanes controlled by flaggers.

Here are the other roads included in the project:

• Seavey Road/Parker Street from Elbe Drive to Hill Street in Shaler;

• Grant Avenue from railroad crossing to Wilson Street in Etna;

• Mt. Royal Boulevard/Crescent Street from Kittanning Street in Etna to Irene Street in Shaler;

• Elfinwild Road from Mt. Royal Boulevard to Route 8 in Shaler.