News Release

PA Turnpike Commission Holds Community Meeting for Southern Beltway
Turnpike representatives will be on-hand to provide overview of two-year project.

HARRISBURG, PA (MARCH 8, 2017) —The PA Turnpike Commission (PTC) is moving ahead with the next leg of the Southern Beltway project. The planned, 13-mile tolled expressway will extend from the southern terminus of the existing, six-mile Southern Beltway section, called the Findlay Connector, which opened in 2006. It will start at U.S. Route 22 in eastern Washington County, proceed southeast into western Allegheny County near McDonald and tie into Interstate 79 at the Washington-Allegheny County line.

“A critical part of our planning process involves ongoing and detailed communication with the surrounding communities,” explains Mark Compton, CEO, PA Turnpike Commission. “Community input provides us sound insight and feedback.”

The next in the series of community meetings on the project will offer details on the work taking place in Washington and Allegheny counties. This meeting is slated for 6 p.m. on March 9 at the Midway Volunteer Fire Department, 99 Saint John St., Midway, PA, 15060.

PTC representatives and contracted project specialists will be available to discuss future detours, blasting zones and additional construction-related information about the 55-B section of the Southern Beltway from U.S. Route 22 to I-79.

This section is approximately 3.2 miles in length and requires nearly six million cubic yards of excavation. The project includes a five-span bridge over State Route 980 that is 1,370 feet in length. The northern leg of Reissing Road is to be relocated and will become Laurel Hill Road, while the southern leg will have a new connection to State Route 980. Realignment of the Reissing and Profio Road intersection is included in this project.

The Southern Beltway, which will open in spring 2019, will enable motorists from I-79, near the Allegheny County line with Washington County, to get to Pittsburgh International Airport without having to use other congested roadways. Once completed, it will extend the Southern Beltway to 19 total miles, connecting I-79 to I-376 at the Pittsburgh International Airport.

To learn more, visit https://www.patpconstruction.com/southern_beltway/.

CDR Maguire Inc. of Pittsburgh will manage the construction of this entire project, which includes nine construction sections at a total estimated cost of nearly $800 million. This project will require the management firm to provide cost, schedule and quality control while complying with all PTC, state and federal highway construction requirements.

The first construction contract was section 55 A1-1; the building of twin bridges carrying the Southern Beltway over U.S. Route 22 and serving as part of the interchange linking U.S. Route 22 and the Southern Beltway. Mosites Construction Co. in Pittsburgh was awarded that $14 million bridge contract, which was completed in the fall of 2015.

The second section, 55A-1, was awarded to Independence Excavating Inc. in Independence, Ohio. The $90.8 million construction contract is approximately 4 miles in length containing one interchange and requiring nearly 5 million cubic yards of excavation. The project includes three mainline bridge structures and one overpass. The mainline interchange will be constructed at Beech Hollow Road. Beech Hollow Road and State Route 980 will be realigned to create an intersection with Donaldson Road. Candor Road will be reconstructed to include an overpass structure. The third and fourth mainline structures will carry State Route 0576 over Little Raccoon Creek and Quicksilver Road.

The remaining sections will go out for bid this year with all projects anticipated to be completed in the fall of 2020.