It may be years, even decades more in the making, but it’s coming.

PennDOT has announced plans to widen and straighten state Route 228 eastward from the Adams Township line to Route 8. Beginning in 2019, PennDOT intends to make this stretch of 228 a five-lane highway while removing “Ball’s Bend” and other sharp turns in the 1.5-mile stretch.

The $20 million to $25 million project will have five lanes — two lanes both east and west and a turn lane in the center — a quantum increase in traffic capacity that will remove a bottleneck affecting 25,000 motorists a day.

But it’s more than an expansion of a mile and half of highway. With extensive work recently completed west of Mars schools, the 228 project will complete a trade route between Cranberry Township and Butler. It will establish a modern truck route and high-volume commuter path between Butler and Interstate 79 and, beyond that, the Pittsburgh International Airport.

The widening of Route 228 also will accommodate the westward and eventual northward expansion of commercial and residential development along the 228-8 corridor, including in the Butler area. It also will shorten commute times.

Gas taxes make such projects possible — and a steady ongoing decrease in gasoline prices has taken the sting out of a 9.8 cents per gallon increase imposed on Jan. 1. According to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report, the average price in Pennsylvania stood at $2.51 per gallon on Jan. 6; yet even with the new tax increase, that was less than the average one week earlier on Dec. 30, when the average price was $2.58.

Neither should expansion be allowed to happen without government and public oversight. Private property will be taken for the new, wider, straighter right of way; PennDOT must see that property owners are fairly compensated.

Municipal and county officials must anticipate and plan for upcoming changes. Zoning and other ordinances should be reviewed and adjusted to accommodate not only the new construction but also the existing property owners. Construction must be done with respect for the spirit and letter of environmental regulation.

Looking beyond the Route 228 expansion, the increased traffic it will bring to Route 8 will add impetus to discussions about the eventual construction of a Route 8 truck bypass around Butler. An endless stream of semi trucks clogging Butler’s main intersections should be enough to spur discussions about a bypass route.

PennDOT’s announcement underscores and affirms a vision of northern Butler County’s brightening future, a vision of a vibrant, stable climate serving the practical, cultural and spiritual needs of its residents.

It’s coming. Get ready for it.