Karns Crossing, Route 228, Franklin Road projects continue in Butler County as weather warms
With warmer weather setting in, work is picking back up on some long-term road projects around the county.
One major road project in Butler County is the replacement of the Karns Crossing Bridge in Butler and Summit townships, which carries motorists on Route 68 over Connoquenessing Creek, as well as the Buffalo & Pittsburgh and Bessemer & Lake Erie railroads.
According to PennDOT’s bridge conditions map, the original bridge dates back to 1937 and is currently listed in overall “poor” condition, with both its deck and superstructure in poor condition.
“The new bridge will be larger and there will be upgrades at the Delwood Road intersection to improve safety,” said Christina Gibbs, public relations coordinator for PennDOT District 10.
By the time the project is complete, the crossing will be widened from two lanes to four with wider shoulders. The new bridge will be raised slightly to provide more clearance for double-stacked rail cars running on the tracks underneath. The project will also replace the twin arch culvert over the creek with a single-span bridge.
The current, second phase of the project began in November 2025.
“It includes building part of the new Karns Crossing Bridge, the start of beam erections and the new arch culvert over the Connoquenessing Creek will begin to be constructed,” Gibbs said.
The overall project began in December 2024. Work so far has involved utility relocations and the installation of a temporary road, which was completed in November 2025.
To allow the bridge replacement project to take place, crews have closed nearby Delwood Road to traffic. The closure began in April 2025 and was initially intended to last only six months, but in August it was announced that the closure would be extended to this November.
To access Delwood Road from the west, motorists take Route 8 north and turn right onto East Brady Street, travel about 1.25 miles and turn right onto Delwood Road. From the east, they reverse those directions, Gibbs said.
Swank Contractor Company is in charge of the project, which is estimated to be finished in May 2028 at a projected cost just short of $65 million.
In the southern part of Butler County, Route 228 has been subject to a yearslong expansion and reconstruction project entitled “Gateway 228.”
Work on most sections of the Route 228 project is either complete or close to complete, including the Balls Bend Safety Improvement Project, which added a travel lane in each direction to the “Balls Bend” section of Route 228 in Middlesex Township.
According to Gibbs, one component of the Route 228 project is yet to begin construction.
“The project, ‘Mars Railroad West Expansion,’ on Route 228 goes from Franklin Road to just west of Pittsburgh Street,” Gibbs said. “This project will include intersection improvements and widening of Route 228 in Seven Fields and Adams and Cranberry townships. The project is in the final design stages and funding options for construction are being explored. We continue to work with the Butler County commissioners and the municipalities to move the project forward.”
Not far away, in Cranberry Township, work continues on the Franklin Road Corridor Safety Improvement Project, which began in April 2024 and is expected to finish in November 2027. The project will make several safety improvements to Franklin Road, including shoulder widening, sight distance improvements and the installation of edge rumble strips.
“Utility work is continuing through the end of May. There are single lane restrictions in effect with flagging operations,” Gibbs said. “Following utility work, the contractor will begin installing new drainage and shoulder widening. There will be significant impacts to traffic throughout this project, including traffic shifts, lane restrictions and road closures/detours. Drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes when possible.”
Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc. is the contractor for the project, which is projected to cost $19.1 million.
