​Major work on the multi-year project to improve accessibility, safety, efficiency along the central portion of the Bayfront Parkway (Route 4034) in the City of Erie is underway.  

Construction is being done through joint venture of Brayman Construction of Pittsburgh and Trumbull Corporation of Pittsburgh. Preliminary work on the project started earlier this month, as the contractors procured materials and equipment and staged portions of the work area.

The $111.7 million Bayfront Parkway Central Corridor Improvement Project includes the intersections with Sassafras Street Extension, State Street, and Holland Street. Work will include the following:

• Multi-use trail connecting the existing trail network, downtown, and the waterfront.
• Overhead pedestrian bridge at Holland Street.
• Sidewalk, crosswalk, and lighting upgrades throughout the length of the project.
• Hybrid roundabouts at the intersections with Sassafras Street Extension and Holland Street.
• Grade separated intersection at State Street, including a traditional signalized at-grade intersection and a path for through traffic on the Bayfront to travel below the intersection.
• Drainage updates throughout the corridor.

Construction will be done in stages over several years, starting at the Sassafras Street Extension intersection and working east toward Holland Street over time.

The anticipated stages of the project include the following:

Stage 1 includes working on retaining walls adjacent to Front Street and roundabout construction of the waterfront side of the Sassafras Street Extension intersection. There will also be some preliminary utility work and sidewalk construction. Physical work in this stage started on October 30, 2023 and is expected be completed in the spring of 2024.

Some work will require a pedestrian and bike detours will be required during certain parts of Stage 1, including the following:

• Pedestrian detour will be in place for the Bayfront Promenade near 100 State Street.
• Multiuse trail will be closed on the northside of the Bayfront Parkway between Sassafras Street and State Street. Pedestrians will be detoured to the sidewalk on the southside of Front Street and bicyclists will be detoured to a shared-road system on Front Street.
• Minor motorized traffic impacts are anticipated during this stage, include some temporary lane restrictions near the State Street intersection.

Stage 2 is tentatively scheduled to start in late spring 2024. It will include the completion of the hybrid roundabout at Sassafras Street Extension, as well as new curb ramps, sidewalks improvements, pavement markings and sign upgrades near the intersection. Additional work will be done on the retaining walls, underground utilities and drainage at State Street, which will require a closure of the southern half of the State Street intersection. Detours will be posted for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorized vehicles. Access to the waterfront from the parkway during this phase will be maintained. Work will require some traffic interruptions during certain portions of the roundabout construction, including lane restrictions and traffic controlled by flaggers. This stage is expected to be completed in 2024.

Stage 3 is tentatively scheduled to start in early spring 2025. It will include constructing the new bridge and associated work at the State Street intersection in preparation for creating a grade separated intersection. Work will also include the construction of retaining walls and bridge abutments on both sides of the parkway. The intersection of the Bayfront Parkway and State Street is expected to be closed during a large portion of this work. Detours will be posted for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorized vehicles. Access to the properties on the waterfront side of the parkway at State Street will be available using Front Street from Sassafras Street or Holland Street. This stage is expected to be completed in 2025.

Stage 4 is tentatively set to start in early spring 2026. It will include constructing the southern half of the Holland Street interchange and the first portions of the planned pedestrian cable-stayed bridge. The eastbound and westbound lanes connecting to the grade separated intersection at State Street are scheduled to be completed during this stage as well. Work will require some traffic interruptions during certain portion of the roundabout construction, including lane restrictions and traffic controlled by flaggers. This stage is expected to be completed in 2026.

Stage 5 is tentatively set to start in the summer of 2026. It will include constructing the northern half of the Holland Street interchange and completing the pedestrian cable-stayed bridge. Work will also include connecting and completing the remaining portions of the pedestrian and bicycle amenities on the eastern portion of the parkway. Work will require some traffic interruptions during certain portions of the roundabout construction, including lane restrictions and traffic controlled by flaggers. This stage is expected to be completed in t 2026.

Stage 6 is tentatively set to start in the early spring of 2027. It will include the final roadway paving, completing all remaining landscaping items and applying final pavement markings and signs. This work is set to be completed by the summer of 2027.

Traffic and construction updates will be posted at penndot.pa.gov/BayfrontParkwayProject and on the project Facebook group.

The contract cost is $111,687,766, which will be paid for through a combination of state and federal funds, including nearly $28 million from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law over the course of the project. 

This project is funded at least in part by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). In 2023 alone, the BIL is bringing approximately $23.7 million in additional funding to the northwest region to be allocated by the department and its local Metropolitan and Rural Planning Organization (MPO/RPO) partners. In the northwest region, the planning partners are the Erie Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the Shenango Valley MPO, and the Northwest Rural Planning Organization (RPO), for projects in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango and Warren counties.

In addition to the Bayfront Parkway Central Corridor Improvement Project, work in 2024 will also be done the on the east side in the area near Sixth Street starting in the spring and at the intersection of the parkway and Cranberry Street later in the construction season.

PennDOT urges motorists to slow down when driving in work zones, and also to be alert to changing conditions, avoid distractions and to pay attention to signs and flaggers. Drive responsibly in work zones for your safety and the safety of the workers.

Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following local alerts on X.

Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District1.

Follow local PennDOT news on X and like the department on Facebook.

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Contact: Jill Harry, 814-678-5035 or jharry@pa.gov