News Release

DCED Secretary Davin Hails Turnpike 66 Improvement Project’s
Role in Supporting Jobs at Elliott Group in Jeannette 

Harrisburg, PA – Today, emphasizing Governor Tom Wolf’s strong support for collaborative economic development and jobs that pay, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin joined Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission CEO Mark Compton and executives of the Elliott Group in dedicating mainline toll plaza and lane modifications on Turnpike 66 - Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass in Westmoreland County.

“This modification project is a great example of how state government can be a strategic partner in business growth,” said Governor Tom Wolf. “This collaborative project has created a more efficient way to do business by ensuring that companies can easily reach customers, leading to even more job creation in the commonwealth.”

The project involved modification of the mainline toll plaza at Turnpike 66 milepost 5 by removing a portion of the overhead canopy and other structural modifications along with minor roadway reconstruction and widening a southbound lane to accommodate super load traffic exclusively. Additionally, a bypass lane capable of accommodating northbound super loads was constructed at Exit 8, where PA Route 130 intersects Turnpike 66.

“These improvements eliminate a commerce-constricting highway bottleneck and enable the Elliott Group and other manufacturers to streamline their transport of super load shipments from Jeannette to customers around the globe,” said Secretary Davin. “The cooperation between the Wolf Administration, DCED, the Turnpike Commission, and local economic development representatives to work with Elliott Group to solve this transportation problem is a great example of government working as a strategic partner to protect private-sector jobs.”

Funding for the project was provided by a $1.14 million Transportation Infrastructure Investment Funds (TIIF) grant. The TIIF program is administered in cooperation with DCED and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission covered the project’s design costs.

“The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission recognizes the critical relationship between transportation infrastructure and economic vitality,” said Compton. “The turnpike’s history is steeped in examples of economic development, and our roadway has grown and developed in response to the transportation needs of Pennsylvania’s communities and businesses. This project was a precedence-setting financial partnership for us, and that cooperation played an invaluable role in making this happen.”

“These improvements have strengthened our company’s competitive position and will help us to maintain Elliott’s 107-year legacy of manufacturing in Jeannette for years to come,” said Michael Lordi, Elliott Group chief operating officer.