Traffic makes its way up Route 228 in Cranberry Township in 2024. Butler Eagle File Photo

CRANBERRY TWP — Butler County, Pennsylvania state and township officials gathered at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center on Wednesday, Oct. 14, to discuss the ongoing expansion of Route 228.

The 3.2-mile Mars Railroad Bridge West portion of Route 228, which is the final segment of the project, was at the center of discussion.

Work on the last remaining section extends from Franklin Road to west of Pittsburgh Street and includes intersection upgrades and road widening through Seven Fields and Adams and Cranberry Townships.

Mike Carroll, Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, said PennDOT will contribute toward the project, but the amount depends on whether the county is able to secure federal grants in a future round of applications.

Carroll and Alice Hammond, assistant District 10 executive of design, also presented status updates on the project.

Funding requirements and the importance of the project were also discussed at the roundtable.

“The growth of the community is obvious and the need for the project is real,” Carroll said.

Pre-construction funding for the project is complete, but $102 million worth of additional funding is required for the actual work, Hammond said. Recent efforts to secure federal funding for the final section were unsuccessful, Carroll noted.

“It's probably one of the most expensive segments,” Butler County Commissioner Leslie Osche said. “That’s because of the development on those sides of the road that have already occurred, which has increased the value of property.”

So far, the county has secured $45 million worth of federal grants toward the project, Hammond said.