INTERSTATE 70 PROJECT
Phase: Completed
Location: Westmoreland County
Final cost: $53.7 million

Project Overview

Key Accomplishments

  • Consolidates two substandard interchanges into one modern, safe facility that includes highway lighting.
  • Provides longer acceleration/deceleration ramps/lanes to improve merging and exiting on Mainline I-70.
  • Provides auxiliary lane between the Turnpike and I-70.
  • Increases capacity for commercial vehicles.
  • Creates a connection (Rachel Drive) between Byers Ave. and Bair Blvd., including a roundabout at Rachel Dr./Bair Blvd.

As a result of the project several new developments have opened including Dollar General, Get Go and the Hampton Inn. As part of the Hampton Inn development, the North Rachel Drive roadway was constructed and now ties into SR 3089 Bair Boulevard at the Rachel Drive Roundabout.

Key Dates

  • The new interchange opened to traffic on February 23, 2017.
  • The Center Avenue Bridge over I-70 reopened to traffic on June 13, 2017.
  • The Sewickley Creek Bridge opened on Wednesday, July 26, 2017.
  • The project was completed in November 2017.

Contact

Name: Dominec Caruso, P.E.
Organization: PennDOT District 12-0
Title: Assistant Construction Engineer
Phone: 724-439-7286
Email: dcaruso@pa.gov

Navigating Roundabouts

View the video below to learn more about navigating the roundabouts in the new interchange.

Community Partnering Committee (CPC)

This group of local business owners, residents, emergency service providers and other stakeholders, has developed communication strategies to help drivers travel safely through the work area and continue to visit the local businesses open during construction. The strategies are part of a Construction Communication Plan and rely on communication media which the Committee members currently use.

Pedestrian Bridge

A portion of the pedestrian bridge that was removed during the construction of the updated New Stanton Interchange has found new life on the Sheepskin Trail in Fayette County.