PA - US 219 Expressway Could Begin This Year

[CentralPAGal]

Cool pics! I'd like to get out that way sometime to see that for myself, but that isn't happening any time soon

[Gnutella]

Last summer when I was visiting friends and family in Pittsburgh, I decided to take a drive down to see Mount Davis and Deer Valley, and remembering how crazy the drive was on U.S. 219, especially between Berlin and Garrett. It's good to see U.S. 219 being moved onto a modern alignment, as opposed to the winding back road it's currently on. It'll probably take 15-20 minutes off the drive down that way the next time I'm there.

[The Ghostbuster]

When is this "missing link" expected to open?

[froggie]

I've read Fall of 2018.

[jpi]

Been just over a year since I was in the area and saw some of the construction. Will be very nice when finished :-)

[Mr_Northside]

Went thru the area again on the way back from Ocean City yesterday.... In the last 3 weeks they shifted the traffic to use the NB off-ramp to old 219, then going under the bridges at the northern end of the Meyersdale bypass (opposing traffic uses the same ramp area in a two-way traffic situation).
Didn't get any pics this time - it looks like a little more was excavated in that area, but I didn't notice much of anything else new north of there along the Garrett Shortcut.

Probably won't be in the area again until next summer - unless I decide to pull the trigger and haul a bicycle out to Meyersdale to bike a stretch of the Great Allegheny Passage.

[noelbotevera]

What's the point of finishing/extending the US 219 freeway? It's done between the PA Turnpike and north of Ebensburg, but other than that, I'd say just extend it southward to Grantsville MD and northward to Northern Cambria PA.

[Henry]

What's the point of finishing/extending the US 219 freeway? It's done between the PA Turnpike and north of Ebensburg, but other than that, I'd say just extend it southward to Grantsville MD and northward to Northern Cambria PA.

Two words: Continental One.

[Mr_Northside]

What's the point of finishing/extending the US 219 freeway? It's done between the PA Turnpike and north of Ebensburg, but other than that, I'd say just extend it southward to Grantsville MD and northward to Northern Cambria PA.

That's most likely all that's ever going to get done.... and even that's probably iffy (especially extending northerly of Ebensburg).  I wouldn't be surprised to see sections between I-80 & I-68 (that aren't already upgraded) freeway-ized in a piecemeal fashion over the next couple of decades, but I don't ever expect to see anything like that north of I-80 or south of 68 - At least not in my lifetime.

[noelbotevera]

What's the point of finishing/extending the US 219 freeway? It's done between the PA Turnpike and north of Ebensburg, but other than that, I'd say just extend it southward to Grantsville MD and northward to Northern Cambria PA.

That's most likely all that's ever going to get done.... and even that's probably iffy (especially extending northerly of Ebensburg).  I wouldn't be surprised to see sections between I-80 & I-68 (that aren't already upgraded) freeway-ized in a piecemeal fashion over the next couple of decades, but I don't ever expect to see anything like that north of I-80 or south of 68 - At least not in my lifetime.

I'd say from truncate the freeway at Ebensburg, then extend the freeway south to Grantsville, then have a direct shot with I-76/PA Turnpike.

[Rothman]

What's the point of finishing/extending the US 219 freeway? It's done between the PA Turnpike and north of Ebensburg, but other than that, I'd say just extend it southward to Grantsville MD and northward to Northern Cambria PA.

Two words: Continental One.

I really doubt that.  Those types of initiatives along with "corridor initiatives" have, at least, up here in NY, faded from their former glory (say half-a-decade or more ago when everyone was jumping into the multi-state corridor game as means to get paid trips out of the office ).

[hbelkins]

What's the point of finishing/extending the US 219 freeway? It's done between the PA Turnpike and north of Ebensburg, but other than that, I'd say just extend it southward to Grantsville MD and northward to Northern Cambria PA.

That's most likely all that's ever going to get done.... and even that's probably iffy (especially extending northerly of Ebensburg).  I wouldn't be surprised to see sections between I-80 & I-68 (that aren't already upgraded) freeway-ized in a piecemeal fashion over the next couple of decades, but I don't ever expect to see anything like that north of I-80 or south of 68 - At least not in my lifetime.

There's been some mention of improving US 220 south of Cumberland to connect with Corridor H. Best I remember, 219 between I-68 and Oakland isn't that bad of a road.

[briantroutman]

What's the point of finishing/extending the US 219 freeway? It's done between the PA Turnpike and north of Ebensburg, but other than that, I'd say just extend it southward to Grantsville MD and northward to Northern Cambria PA.

Two words: Continental One.

Does it make any difference that the section north Ebensburg was never part of the ADHS?

[noelbotevera]

What's the point of finishing/extending the US 219 freeway? It's done between the PA Turnpike and north of Ebensburg, but other than that, I'd say just extend it southward to Grantsville MD and northward to Northern Cambria PA.

Two words: Continental One.

Does it make any difference that the section north Ebensburg was never part of the ADHS?

The section north of Ebensburg is pointless - it's a freeway to nowhere north of Ebensburg all the way to the NY state line. Even as a two laner. There are stubs that hint that they will extend the freeway...

[Rothman]

Does it make any difference that the section north Ebensburg was never part of the ADHS?

I'd say yes, since at least the ADHS had a specific federal fund source set aside to assist with its funding.

There was actually a regional office of NYSDOT that would program their projects with Appalachian funding in NYSDOT's system to hide them from the NYSDOT Main Office, which focused on funding in the more major fund sources.   Of course, when it came time to actually do the project, they'd have to show their real hand.

[Gnutella]

At the very least, I think U.S. 219 between Ebensburg and Bradford should be upgraded to a four-lane arterial highway, similar to U.S. 22 between Pittsburgh and Altoona.

[ARMOURERERIC]

I just wish that any of the mapping sites could hey some updated imagery

[Mr_Northside]

At the very least, I think U.S. 219 between Ebensburg and Bradford should be upgraded to a four-lane arterial highway, similar to U.S. 22 between Pittsburgh and Altoona.

That would probably end up being perfectly fine... though I still doubt they'd get much momentum to upgrade north of I-80, and especially thru the Allegheny National Forest. 

[rickmastfan67]

I just wish that any of the mapping sites could hey some updated imagery

Hopefully we'll get a 2016 update with the NAIP imagery in PA.

[MikeSantNY78]

I just wish that any of the mapping sites could hey some updated imagery

Google Maps finally showing updated aerial shots (if you zoom in close enough) of road-bed clearings and construction from the north end of the Meyersdale Bypass to east of Garrett, then parallel to the GSR up to the end stub south of the Pa Turnpike near Somerset.  Would like to see this kind of progress here in NYS between Springville/Peters Rd. and Salamanca...

[rickmastfan67]

I just wish that any of the mapping sites could hey some updated imagery

Hopefully we'll get a 2016 update with the NAIP imagery in PA.

NAIP has updated their imagery for PA to 2015.  Haven't checked this area out yet, but assume we would see some progress on this.

[BrianP]

US 219 PUBLIC WORKSHOP SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 6 IN GRANTSVILLE, GARRETT COUNTY

The Maryland Department of Transportation's State Highway Administration SHA) is hosting an informational  public workshop in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The agencies will introduce the US 219 Planning and Environment Linkages Study to obtain feedback on the vision, goals and study alignments. 

http://www.marylandroads.com/pages/release.aspx?newsId=2439

Since it looks like Maryland will build their section before PennDOT builds theirs I think alignment AE has an advantage since that alternative crosses the current route near the state line.  Granted there are many other considerations to picking an alternative.

[noelbotevera]

Well, if all they want to do is just extend it south to I-68 in Grantsville, that's fine. North is just crazy talk.

[Rothman]

  Would like to see this kind of progress here in NYS between Springville/Peters Rd. and Salamanca...

*guffaws*

That is so far off the table that I'd almost use the word "never" to describe the situation.

[seicer]

"Progress" must mean "let her rip" through the Allegany Indian Reservation. It was (rightfully) a pain to deal with the reservation when NY 17 was built circa 1990-1995, and their disputes, as part of Seneca Nation, have merit. US 219 is also not a woefully congested or accident prone - and US 219 is hardly a through route.