CRANBERRY TWP — A major paving project on Interstate 79 has sent drivers onto Route 19, leading to miles-long backups during rush hours.

The project runs on the interstate from Route 528 in Jackson Township to Cranberry Township.

Deborah Casadei, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, said today the paving project will likely last until October.

“We’re asking drivers to slow down, pay attention to the signs and merge appropriately,” Casadei said. “That will go a long way to making traffic flow a lot better.”

Township manager Jerry Andree said today officials will change traffic signal patterns in an effort to alleviate the congestion for the afternoon rush.

“We’re trying to move it through quicker,” he said.

Andree said PennDOT didn’t alert local officials about the road work, and officials at first didn’t know why traffic had backed up on Route 19.

Andree said the township will send out a notice to residents notifying them of the cause of the backups.