Route 40 paving set to start
Drivers who regularly travel Route 40 in South Strabane Township and Washington should prepare to encounter single-lane traffic and flaggers in their journey.
Starting Wednesday, work will begin on a $2.2-million project that includes resurfacing East and West Maiden Street from the Laboratory exit of Interstate 79 in South Strabane Township to Jefferson Avenue, as well as a section of Jefferson between West Maiden and West Chestnut Street.
Milling and paving work likely will not start until mid-October, said Jack Roos, project manager for Folino Construction of Oakmont. He said work will likely be done at both ends of the project when work begins Wednesday.
The upgrades include base repairs to the road and shoulders and minor drainage improvements in addition to the milling and paving. There also will be new lines painted, guardrail improvements, new light poles, handicapped accessible ramps and other improvements.
Preparation work will be done for the new signals, but new poles for the signals will not be installed until November or December, allowing time for the poles to be made, Roos added.
Traffic will be restricted from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. on the stretch between South Wade Avenue and West Chestnut Street. Work on the section between South Wade and I-79 will be done from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Single-lane traffic will be in place, controlled by flaggers and off-duty police officers.
City police Chief Chris Luppino believes the contractor and PennDOT have a good plan to handle traffic.
“They will be working downtown at night when there is not as much traffic,” Luppino said. “There may be some delays and backup during the daylight work.
“But I think people have gotten used to all the construction,” he added. “This will be no worse than the work on Main Street.”
South Strabane police Chief Don Zofchak does not expect any problems, since much of Route 40 in the township has three lanes.
“My concern is if there is a backlog on the interstate, drivers will get off onto Route 40,” Zofchak said. “That seems to have been happening a lot lately there and on other side streets like Locust.
“But drivers are so used to the construction around here,” he added. “People seem to follow the path of least resistance.”
Luppino reminded drivers to slow down and keep the workers’ safety in mind.
Work on the project should be done Dec. 18.