Route 28 improvements, bridges, landslides all on PennDOT's to-do list for 2019

The Route 28 improvement project is front and center among the $310 million worth of road improvements PennDOT plans in the Alle-Kiski Valley for the coming construction season.

That figure represents what PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan called the “total amount of investment” PennDOT has in store for this year .

The $34.2 million Route 28 project started last year in East Deer and will continue this year to the Buffalo Township line.

When complete, PennDOT will have improved seven miles of Route 28 in Tarentum, East Deer, Fawn and Harrison.

PennDOT says 50,000 motorists used the expressway at the East Deer end of the project and 21,000 at the Buffalo Township end.

The project should be completed by late May, PennDOT District 11 Executive Cheryl Moon-Sirianni said Thursday during a media briefing. The briefing highlighted the projects that will be finished or started this year in the district, which includes Allegheny, Beaver and Lawrence counties.

Overall, the district plans to spend an estimated $310 million to pave 275 miles of roads; fix or replace 48 bridges; and repair damage from 23 landslides.

Among those landslides fixes planned are those along Mountain View Road in West Deer, Burtner Road in Harrison and Indiana Road in Penn Hills.

“Over the last few years, landslides have had a significant impact on our district, and I appreciate the motorists’ patience as we have worked through various detours and repairs,” Moon-Sirianni said.

PennDOT normally budgets about $6 million to repair landslides each year. The 2019 tab will be $20 million.

“You can do the math,” Moon-Sirianni said.

Those repairs take money away from other improvement projects, she said.

Among the more severe landslide projects is the one on Hulton Road in Penn Hills between Iowa Street and Michael Drive. PennDOT estimates work at the site will cost between $1 and $2 million. It should start soon and be finished by fall, Moon-Sirianni said.

PennDOT’s plan actually calls for spending less on new projects this year ($265 million) than last year ($274 million). But when including multi-year projects like the one on Route 28, spending will be about $5 million more than in 2018.

Other projects of note include:

• A $1.1 million bridge replacement on Route 910 near Oak Road in West Deer. There will be detours and the project is set to begin this summer and be completed by November.
• A $7 million project on the Boulevard of the Allies (Route 885) between the Liberty Bridge/Crosstown Boulevard interchange to Bates Street. The project should start in late April and will require overnight and off-peak lane restrictions through next spring.
• A $10.95 million project to resurface Route 22 between Route 48 and the Murrysville line. The work will begin in early May and will cause overnight lane restrictions. The work is set to be done during off-peak daylight and weekend hours.

A full list of PennDOT road projects can be found on the department’s website.