CRANBERRY TWP — The $44.3 million Cranberry Connector Project was completed in June 2004.

It provides a direct link between Interstate 79 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

The connector was the third phase of several designed to ease traffic congestion in the township.

The first two phases of the project were the construction of $4.5 million ramps on Route 228 to I-79 and the construction of an $8.5 million seven-lane Route 228 bridge spanning I-79.

The state Turnpike Commission also built the $23 million Warrendale Toll Plaza that eliminated several toll booths, including the one in Cranberry as a result of the connector project.

Here are some facts about the building of the connector:• 14.5 miles of ramp and roads were constructed.• 1,250,000 cubic yards of dirt were excavated.• 38,500 tons of asphalt pavement were used.• 26,000 cubic yards of concrete pavement were used.• 20 miles of drainage pipes were installed.• 635,500 reinforcement bars for culverts were used.• Four bridges, three steel-girder bridges painted cranberry red and one pre-stressed concrete box beam bridge were built.• 7,850 cubic yards of concrete were used for the bridges.• 1.35 million pounds of reinforcement bars were used for bridges.• 3,109,000 pounds of structural steel were used for bridges.• 8,120 linear feet of foundation piles were installed for bridges.• Four retaining walls were built with a total length of 525 feet.