Work will start soon on the multi-year project to reconstruct a 2.5-mile section of Route 6 in the City of Meadville and West Mead Township in Crawford County.
The purpose of the project is to maintain traffic efficiency and meet community transportation needs while improving the geometry of the roadway.
To do so, the roadway will be reduced from four lanes to two lanes and a multi-use trail will be constructed between the intersection with Reynolds Avenue in the City of Meadville to the intersection with Baldwin Street Extension in West Mead Township.
Reconstruction work will include breaking the concrete to create a foundation for the new roadway, concrete patching, milling, asphalt paving, drainage, sidewalk, ADA ramps, guiderail, pavement markings and erosion control.
Work will be completed in several phases.
Phase 1 is expected to start in mid-August and will include constructing temporary crossovers and removal of some curbs. This will allow traffic to be shifted to the current westbound side of the roadway. During this portion of the project, drivers may encounter some lane restrictions.
Phase 2 is expected to start in late August. It will start with milling and paving portions of Route 6, Baldwin Street, Park Road, and Stan Road. Work will also start on the multi-use trail and drainage improvements. In mid-October, work is expected to include the construction of mountable curbs near the intersections with Bessmer Street and Reynolds Avenue. Work will start on the new roadway, which will be reconstructed in the location of the current westbound lanes.
As work is progresses to each intersection, the signals will be on flashing mode. Traffic will be controlled by flaggers as needed. Work at Stan Road will require a short-term detour. In late October, westbound traffic on Route 6 will shift and one lane of traffic in each direction will be maintained using the westbound side of the roadway.
Phase 3 is expected to start mid-June 2025. Work will include updates to the intersection with Bessmer Street and Reynolds Avenue. Additional drainage updates will be made and the existing pavement from the southern side of the road and the temporary crossover will be removed.
Once the new roadway is complete, traffic will be shifted to the permanent configuration on the northern side of the current roadway. As work is done at the intersection, some short-term detours will be needed at Stan Road and Reynolds Avenue.
Additional lane restrictions with traffic controlled by flaggers may be needed throughout the project. Drivers should be alert for traffic pattern shifts and anticipate travel delays during active work hours.
The project is expected to start August 12, 2024, weather permitting. It is expected to be completed in fall 2025. Work is expected to continue through the winter months, as weather permits.
The contractor is Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc. of State College, PA. The contract cost is $16,616,006, which is to be paid with a combination of federal and state funds.
This project is funded at least in part by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). In 2024 alone, the BIL is bringing approximately $25 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.
Information on the Route 6 Reconstruction Project is available online at www.penndot.pa.gov/District1 under the Design and Construction Projects link.
This year PennDOT's Northwest Region expects to do work on more than 100 projects. To see a full listing of all the anticipated work, check out the 2024 Construction Book located under the Resources tab online at www.penndot.pa.gov/District1.
PennDOT urges motorists to slow down when driving in work zones, and 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 regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.
Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District1.
Information about infrastructure in District 1, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.pa.gov/D1Results. Find PennDOT's planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.
Follow local PennDOT news on X and like the department on Facebook.
PennDOT District 1 is hiring for variety of positions, including CDL operators, mechanics, highway maintenance workers, civil engineers, construction inspectors, and transportation technicians. Apply online at www.employment.pa.gov.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Jill Harry, 814-678-5035 or jharry@pa.gov
