PennDOT looks at road ahead for projects in Butler County
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation highlighted five county projects Tuesday, Oct. 24, expected to continue through 2024.
In a statement released by the department, Brian Allen, district executive for the region, said the projects aim to help “motorists travel safely and efficiently throughout our district.”
“Our primary goal is to maintain and improve our roadways to keep them safe for regional motorists,” he said.
The ongoing replacement of the Portersville Bridge, which began in May, is expected to be complete in summer of 2024.
This $6.3 million project will construct a two-span steel bridge over Interstate 79 in Muddy Creek Township, carrying the East Portersville Road section of Route 488.
Improvements to Freedom Road in Cranberry Township — between Haine School Road and the county line — are expected to continue until the fall of 2025.
Work includes signal replacements and intersection improvements along the span, as well as new drainage infrastructure and widening of the road to five lanes.
The $18.5 million project is an extension of PennDOT’s larger initiative to update the Freedom Road corridor.
Middlesex Township’s Balls Bend Safety Improvement Project is also expected to continue until at least 2025, with anticipated completion in January of that year.
The ongoing $26.5 million project is a major realignment of the road that began in February 2021. Work includes the addition of a second travel lane in each direction and a new center turn lane.
The project will also realign local intersections — adding jughandles — and create a new intersection with traffic lights at Route 228 and Parks Road.
Connected to the Balls Bend Project, Three Degree Road in Adams and Middlesex townships is undergoing a $55.8 million safety improvement.
This massive project includes through and turning lanes, updated guardrails, sidewalks and Americans with Disabilities Act accessible ramps. The improvements will also add new service roads in the township, as well as jughandles and signal enhancements at intersections along the road.
Anticipated completion is November 2026.
Route 68 in Butler and Connoquenessing townships is also undergoing improvements between Stevenson Road and the intersection of Meridian and Benbrook roads.
With work beginning this year, the project aims to reduce congestion along the corridor, adding turn lanes and a signal replacement.
The $18.7 million project is expected to be finished in fall 2025.
Looking back at 2023, PennDOT concluded three major projects in the county, totaling over $7.2 million.
Signal upgrades along Routes 356 and 68 were completed between Campus Lane and Moraine Pointe Plaza this year. The $1.5 project also included minor construction in Butler Township.
In the city of Butler, PennDOT replaced or rehabilitated nine signals along Main Street. This $2.3 million project included new features compliant with the ADA.
Middlesex and Clinton townships saw five miles of resurfacing along Route 228. The $3.4 million improvements were made between its intersection with Route 8 and Route 2007.
Statewide, 4,357 miles of roadway were improved, including 1,322 miles of paving.
In PennDOT’s statement, secretary Mike Carroll said the department had made “significant progress” with its improvements throughout the region.
