Mon-Fayette Expressway Project Information Web Site

Project History

Visit the PA Turnpike's Uniontown to Brownsville Project Web Page

Introduction

The Mon/Fayette Expressway, Uniontown to Brownsville Project is one of four Mon/Fayette Transportation Projects being undertaken by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in southwestern Pennsylvania. The West Virginia Department of Transportation, Division of Highways, (WVDOH) is designing and constructing another section of the expressway south of the Pennsylvania border. Two other sections were completed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT). The Brownsville to I-70 section has been turned over to the PTC for operation. The Fairchance to Uniontown section is currently operated by PENNDOT as a non-tolled road. When all of the Mon/Fayette Expressway projects are completed there will be over 70 miles of continuous limited access highway connecting I-68 west of Morgantown, West Virginia, to the Parkway East (I-376) at Monroeville and Pittsburgh. These Mon/Fayette Transportation Projects are in various stages of engineering design and construction as indicated on the Map Legend. All environmental studies have been completed. The following sections describe the project design process.

Map Legend

	PA 51 to Pittsburgh In Pre-Final Design by PTC.
	I-70 to PA 51 17 miles opened in its entirety on April 12, 2002.
	Brownsville to I-70 Completed By PENNDOT in 1980's and Open to Traffic.
	Uniontown to Brownsville In Final Design and Construction by PTC.
	Fairchance to Uniontown Completed and open to traffic in 2000.
	PA Border to Fairchance Completed March 2000 By PTC and Open to Traffic north of Gans Rd.
	I-68 to PA Border In Final Design and construction by WVDOH.

Environmental Study Phase

The preliminary engineering and environmental studies for the Mon/Fayette Expressway Uniontown to Brownsville project were performed by the team of Benatec Associates/Skelly & Loy, Inc./CHRS, Inc. for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) was distributed in July 2000. The Record of Decision (ROD), which documents the North Alternative as the Selected Alternative, was signed by the Federal Highway Administration in October 2000, thus authorizing the PTC to proceed with the pre-final and final design, and construction of this 17 mile section of the expressway. A presentation of Aerial Photographs of the Selected Alternative that has been advanced to Final Design and Construction may be viewed in the Aerial Photos of Selected Alternative section of this Web site.

Pre-Final Design Phase

The pre-final design phase was completed in the summer of 2003. The purpose of the pre-final design phase was to refine the Selected (North) Alternative to further minimize impacts to environmental features (farmlands, wetlands, streams, parks and recreation areas and cultural/historical resources), improve safety and operations of the expressway, to reduce construction costs, and to prepare the project for final design.

The pre-final design phase included studies for the proposed bridge carrying the expressway over the Monongahela River (An artist’s conception of the bridge may be viewed in the Rendering of the Proposed Monongahela River Bridge section of this Web site) and the preparation of a total take right-of-way plan to initiate early acquisition of properties that are clearly required in their entirety to construct the proposed expressway. The total take right-of-way plan was completed by the firm of DMJM Harris, Inc. and acquisition of these total take properties (56) has been completed.

For the pre-final design phase the project was divided into four (4) pre-final design roadway sections and one (1) pre-final design Monongahela River Bridge section. The culmination of the pre-final design phase was a series of four (4) Design Field View Meetings with PENNDOT and the FHWA, giving the PTC approval to proceed to the final design phase, initiate the preparation of the partial take right-of-way plans as the required right-of-way lines are finalized, to obtain the appropriate environmental permits, coordinate with the utility companies to determine necessary utility relocations, and to prepare the project for construction. The four (4) Design Field View Meetings for this project were held from January 2003 through August 2003 and then after these meetings the PTC was authorized to initiate the final design.

Public Meetings

Subsequent to the completion of the pre-final design and the Design Field View Meetings, Open-House Meetings for the Mon/Fayette Expressway Uniontown to Brownsville project were held on January 14, 2004 at the Menallen School and on January 15, 2004 at the Brownsville High School.

The meetings were advertised in local newspapers and open to the public. The primary purpose of the meetings was to provide information to property owners that are affected by the Uniontown to Brownsville project. Each affected property owner received an invitation and was provided the opportunity to attend either meeting.

Representatives of the PTC, their right-of-way acquisition consultants, and final design consultants were available to provide the most updated information on schedules, the effect on individual properties, the right-of-way acquisition process, and to answer questions on the expressway project.

Final Design Phase

For final design and construction, the project was divided into 11 roadway construction sections, one (1) Monongahela River Bridge construction section, a PTC maintenance facility construction section and a mainline toll facility construction section (See Detailed Overview Map [PDF: 1.69MB] for design/construction section designations).

The final design phase includes the development of final right-of-way plans for acquisition of additional total takes not included in the total take right-of-way plan and all partial takes and easements required to construct the expressway. Final design also includes the finalization of the roadway and structure construction details, obtaining the necessary environmental permits, development of utility relocation plans and the development of final construction plans and specifications for bidding of each construction section.

Due to funding limitations the project was divided into Phase 1 and Phase 2. (See Phase1 / Phase 2 Overview Map [PDF:2.4MB]) for limits of Phase 1 and Phase 2.

Phase 1 (approximately 9 miles of expressway) consists of Sections 51A2, 51B, 51C, 51D, 51E1 and 51N (PTC Mainline Toll Facility). Phase 1 includes construction of the eastern portion of the Expressway from the Brownsville Connector (Redstone Way) Interchange to the Route 51 Connector (Northgate Highway – S.R. 4039) Interchange which will provide access to Routes 40, 51 and 119 near Uniontown.

Phase 2 (approximately 8 miles of expressway) consists of Sections 51A1, 51E2, 51F, 51G, 51H, 51J and 51M (PTC Maintenance Facility). Phase 2 includes construction of the western portion of the Expressway from the Rte. 40/Toll 43 Cloverleaf Interchange in Centerville Borough, Washington County, to the Brownsville Connector/Redstone Way Interchange in Redstone Township. Phase 2 also includes completion of the Expressway/Route 119 interchange at the eastern end of the project, in Section 51A1.

The Final Design incorporated several features as modifications or improvements during the pre-final design phase. These were shown to the public at the January 2004 public meetings. These features are identified as follows:

State Route 51 will be reconstructed for approximately 4,000’ from the Giant Eagle area to Northview Lane to provide turn lanes, signalized intersections at the Route 51 Connector (Northgate Highway – S.R. 4039) intersection, and the intersections with the Route 119 Ramps. A new bridge will be constructed carrying Route 51 over Route 119.
The Route 51 Connector (Northgate Highway – S.R. 4039) will be constructed to four (4) or five (5) lanes between Route 51 at Confer Drive to Route 40 at the Duck Hollow Road/Fan Hollow Road intersection. This 1-1/2 mile roadway will provide access to a new full diamond interchange with the expressway at Old Pittsburgh Road, in North Union Township.
Matthew Drive (approximately 1500’) south of Rte. 40 (opposite Fan Hollow Road) will be designed by the Turnpike Commission and turned over to the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Fayette (RACF) for construction. The Commission will reimburse the RACF for the cost of construction.
State Route 40 will be widened and provided with left turn lanes to Upper Middletown Road, improving access to the new Searights Interchange in Menallen Township. Upper Middletown Road will be reconstructed from Rte. 40 to Hatfield Road.
The Brownsville Connector (named Redstone Way by Redstone Twp.) will initially be constructed to three (3) lanes, and graded to provide future widening to five (5) lanes. This roadway will extend from a new at-grade intersection with Grindstone Road to existing Route 40, a distance of approximately two (2) miles.
Bull Run Road (SR 4003) will be kept open after construction and improved at the Bull Run Road Connector, which will tie to Telegraph Road and provide access to the Bull Run Road Interchange.
Old Route 88/S.R.2089 in Centerville Boro will be reconstructed for approximately 3/4 mile, with turn lanes, to provide access to a new expressway interchange.
Existing 4-lane Rte. 88 will be reconstructed northward to the Cloverleaf interchange with Rte. 40.
The Route 88 Interchange with the Expressway has been redesigned to a general diamond interchange configuration to improve safety and driveability.

The final design of Phase 1 was completed in the fall of 2005 and construction on the first Section (51C) was underway in February of 2006. The final design of Phase 2 will be completed in the spring of 2008 and construction on the first section will be initiated in April 2008. See the Project Status section of this website for the detailed status of each construction section including: overall contract value, per cent completion to date and roadway openings.