Southern Beltway work will affect access to national cemetery
The Department of Veterans Affairs expects work on the state Turnpike Commission’s Southern Beltway project to affect traffic near National Cemetery of the Alleghenies.
Cemetery Director Ronald Hestdalen warned funeral directors in a letter that work near the cemetery is “about to begin” and the commission “anticipates road closures and detours as it constructs the new roadway.” Officials expect work on this section of new turnpike to wrap up in 2020.
Turnpike spokeswoman Renee Colborn said in an email the commission is still waiting on a notice to proceed with the work and “the timeline of detours and closures is dependent upon that.”
She said Independence Excavating Inc. was awarded the $23.6 million contract for that portion of the Southern Beltway project.
Once it opens, the 13-mile, $800 million tolled highway will connect Route 576 in Robinson Township – which leads to Pittsburgh International Airport in Moon Township – to Interstate 79 in Cecil.
Officials expect the burial schedule at the 292-acre veterans cemetery to be unaltered, but Hestdalen apologized in advance for noise that will be caused by construction vehicles near the cemetery.
Hestdalen’s letter said work will occur in two stages, with the first involving closures of portions of Morgan Road east of the cemetery for a bridge replacement. Colborn said the new bridge on Morgan, where the road passes over Interstate 79, will be built by late August of next year.
During the second stage of work, Hestdalen said parts of Morgan Road and County Line Road will close west of the main entrance. He didn’t expect the work to restrict access from Morganza Road during that period.
Detours and information about when and where traffic will be affected will be posted on the cemetery’s and Turnpike Commission’s websites, according to his letter.
Colborn said there would be a community meeting with further information when the commission receives its notice to proceed.
“We are anticipating that meeting will take place in early October,” she added.