Phase: Final Design
Location: Westmoreland County
Anticipated cost: TBD
The Arnold City Interchange Improvements Project, located in Rostraver Township, is intended to improve safety and traffic operations at the interchange and along I-70. The project area is approximately 1.75 miles long, extending from the I-70 bridge over the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad to 1.37 miles east of the Arnold City Interchange. On mainline I-70, the project will include widening the median from 4 feet to 10 feet and widening the outside shoulders from 10 to 12 feet. The roadway will be shifted approximately 4 feet to the north. View the Arnold City Typical Section for the proposed typical section of the I-70 mainline.
Two bridges will also be replaced: the Indian Hill Road and Crawford Lane bridges over I-70. Both bridges will be replaced east of and adjacent to their existing location. As mentioned under the Open House Held section, two interchange alternatives (i.e., Alternative 1A and 2A) were presented to the public and pubic officials on November 30, 2017. Based on the input received from the public and public official along with design, traffic, and environmental considerations, PennDOT selected Alternative 1A for further preliminary design and environmental evaluation. The Alternative 1A interchange will utilize a diamond configuration with a five-leg roundabout that will connect the eastbound ramps with Indian Hill Road and Finley Road. The westbound ramps will be reconstructed as standard diamond ramps with an unsignalized intersection. The project received environmental clearance from the Federal Highway Administration on December 13, 2019. PennDOT anticipates starting right-of- way acquisition process in 2020. Project team members will periodically be on the project site to collect additional core borings and field survey information.
PennDOT held an Open House Public Meeting and Public Officials Briefing on November 30, 2017 at the Rostraver Central Volunteer Fire Department Hall. At both meetings, each person was provided with a project handout and a blank comment form. Sign-in sheets indicate that sixty (60) citizens attended the Open House Public Meeting and six (6) officials attended the Public Officials Briefing. The public and public officials were encouraged to visit information stations on the project design and environmental constraints. PennDOT The Department made a short presentation at both meetings to provide an overview of the project, purpose and needs, environmental features, studies performed, Alternatives 1A and 2A, and next steps. An additional public meeting is anticipated in Fall 2021.
