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[qguy]

Why is the preferred route the U.S. 219 route as opposed to I-79/I-90 to Buffalo and beyond?

Because the promoters live on US 219.

Ding-ding-ding! We have a winner!

Give that man a cookie, a gold star, a firm, dry handshake!

[Beltway]

Why is the preferred route the U.S. 219 route as opposed to I-79/I-90 to Buffalo and beyond? Even if the entire 219 corridor is one day made Interstate quality, it seems like 79/90 would still be the more direct route, so why not just go with that and not have to worry about the completed route being contingent on roads that may or may not ever be upgraded to the appropriate level?

Preferred route from where?  Washington, D.C. to Buffalo preferred route is either via I-99 and US-219, or via US-15.

The "all Interstate" route via Pittsburgh is much longer.

[okc1]

Clicking on the "View Map" link on continental1.org Continental 1 actually takes US 119 from DuBois to US 22.  I would suspect this is due to environmental mitigation needed if a freeway is built in the Susquehanna headwaters.

The zig-zag nature of the route south of there (away from the Mon-Fayette) suggests that the freeway is desired for local development only.  I-99 or US 15 would be easier for Buffalo area travelers south of I-80.

[Alps]

Clicking on the "View Map" link on continental1.org Continental 1 actually takes US 119 from DuBois to US 22.  I would suspect this is due to environmental mitigation needed if a freeway is built in the Susquehanna headwaters.

The zig-zag nature of the route south of there (away from the Mon-Fayette) suggests that the freeway is desired for local development only.  I-99 or US 15 would be easier for Buffalo area travelers south of I-80.

I can't imagine why the route wouldn't stay on US 119 down to Morgantown. The most puzzling piece of their admittedly puzzling puzzle.

[NE2]

Clicking on the "View Map" link on continental1.org Continental 1 actually takes US 119 from DuBois to US 22.  I would suspect this is due to environmental mitigation needed if a freeway is built in the Susquehanna headwaters.

I think that's an error: http://continental1.org/maps

[wphiii]

Why is the preferred route the U.S. 219 route as opposed to I-79/I-90 to Buffalo and beyond? Even if the entire 219 corridor is one day made Interstate quality, it seems like 79/90 would still be the more direct route, so why not just go with that and not have to worry about the completed route being contingent on roads that may or may not ever be upgraded to the appropriate level?

Preferred route from where?  Washington, D.C. to Buffalo preferred route is either via I-99 and US-219, or via US-15.

The "all Interstate" route via Pittsburgh is much longer.

The preferred route from Miami, which is the essence of the "Continental 1" concept.

[NE2]

The preferred route from Miami, which is the essence of the "Continental 1" concept.

Seriously. Who the hell would take I-74 through NC when I-26 to I-77 exists? And 219 rather than 43-119-66-22-119 north of I-68? Oink.

[vdeane]

Somebody's smoking something.  That route is four hours longer than the one suggested by Google.

[hbelkins]

Seriously. Who the hell would take I-74 through NC when I-26 to I-77 exists? And 219 rather than 43-119-66-22-119 north of I-68? Oink.

I can foresee a desire to avoid the tolls on the WV Turnpike, although the preferred route would use US 19 to connect to I-79 instead of going through the most curvy and mountainous portion with the hideously low 60 mph speed limit.

I drove US 119 in its entirety in Pennsylvania last year, as well as all of 219 between Buffalo and US 22 (having previously done 219 from US 22 south to I-68) and there are some spots along 119 that aren't attractive to through long-distance traffic. Ditto for 219.

[PAHighways]

Work on Route 219 Expansion Officially Under Way; Crews Removing 250 Acres of Trees

[Mr_Northside]

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/washington/after-48-years-somerset-road-project-begins-676784/

The P-G's report on it.

It also mentions that the Mountain Watershed Association is trying to halt work, contending that permits are flawed concerning its potential harm to an endangered bat species, streams and wetlands.

[wphiii]

Shame about Berlin being so thoroughly bypassed, stopping at the Ice Cream Station is one of my favorite parts about using 219 to I-68 as an alternative to the Turnpike and the horrors of Breezewood whenever I'm heading to DC or thereabouts.

[ARMOURERERIC]

Will this new section still be a freeway grade facility, and how much alteration will be needed at the somorset stub end?

[hbelkins]

Shame about Berlin being so thoroughly bypassed, stopping at the Ice Cream Station is one of my favorite parts about using 219 to I-68 as an alternative to the Turnpike and the horrors of Breezewood whenever I'm heading to DC or thereabouts.

As badly as some people hate Breezewood, I can't imagine taking that curvy, crooked US 219 route as an alternative to it.

[wphiii]

Shame about Berlin being so thoroughly bypassed, stopping at the Ice Cream Station is one of my favorite parts about using 219 to I-68 as an alternative to the Turnpike and the horrors of Breezewood whenever I'm heading to DC or thereabouts.

As badly as some people hate Breezewood, I can't imagine taking that curvy, crooked US 219 route as an alternative to it.

Depends on whether your goal is to get from Point A to Point B as fast as possible or not. It's about 30 minutes longer (though it can be a little more if you catch the Cumberland portion of I-68 at a bad time). If time is not of the essence then it's well worth it to me to avoid Breezewood and that irritating 55 mph speed trap stretch of I-70 in PA. And it saves about $5 in tolls. I also happen to find that the towns along the way serve as infinitely more enjoyable food/stretch breaks than the Turnpike rest stops.

[Mr_Northside]

As badly as some people hate Breezewood, I can't imagine taking that curvy, crooked US 219 route as an alternative to it.

My dad used to like doing that fairly often.  The first time or two, that I remember, being before I-68 was I-68...
It wasn't just an alternative to Breezewood itself - which I remember my dad wanting to avoid because in addition to it simply being Breezewood, PennDOT was also doing major roadwork there as well - but we also didn't bother with the Turnpike at all, just taking PA-31 over the Laurel Ridge to other back roads to home.

Many of those trips were before we had the internet, and I had yet to become aware of the Garret Shortcut, so we always stayed on US-219 winding up north via Berlin.  Last summer (the first time since 2003 I was on US-219 in Somerset Co.), I made it a point to use the Garret Shortcut, and ended up thinking "Man, I wished I knew about this shit 2 decades ago".

[hbelkins]

Many of those trips were before we had the internet, and I had yet to become aware of the Garret Shortcut, so we always stayed on US-219 winding up north via Berlin.  Last summer (the first time since 2003 I was on US-219 in Somerset Co.), I made it a point to use the Garret Shortcut, and ended up thinking "Man, I wished I knew about this shit 2 decades ago".

The one time I drove the route, my GPS tried to send me along what I presume is the shortcut you're talking about, but since I was driving that route for the sole purpose of clinching a portion of US 219, I opted not to use it.

[dave19]

Wondered how long until someone mentioned the Garrett Shortcut... it cuts about 7 miles off the trip and you avoid that awful piece of 219 between Garrett and Berlin. If you're heading south on 219, a mile after the expressway ends there is a light - turn right, that's the shortcut. It comes out on 653 on the opposite side of Garrett, which is a small town. It's a good road.

[wphiii]

Interestingly enough, it looks from the P-G's graphic that the new alignment of 219 is going to roughly follow the Garrett Shortcut Rd.

I used the Shortcut Rd once about three years ago, when I first started needing to traverse this region on a regular basis. But through some combination of forgetfulness and actually enjoying the drive through Berlin, I haven't used it since.

[PAHighways]

Route 219 Expansion Project Gets Greenlight to Move Forward

[ShawnP]

This new road will suck.

Signed, Breezewood

[PAHighways]

Local, State Leaders Celebrate Groundbreaking of Route 219 South Expansion

[DBR96A]

Money that could have been better used expanding the cattle chutes in Pittsburgh or Philadelphia.

[Mr_Northside]

Money that could have been better used expanding the cattle chutes in Pittsburgh or Philadelphia.

The $350 million this project is costing would be a mere drop in the bucket to the cost of any real significant & meaningful upgrades to the "cattle chutes" in PGH or Philly.

It actually seems like a decent price for 11 miles of highway that traverses the Somerset County terrain (including what the article states will be one of the longest bridges in the state) in 2013.  I suppose that could be part of the reason why it's going to take five friggin' years to build.

I was actually thru the area today.  Drove down to Ocean City (MD) from the Laurel Highlands, and opted for US-219/Garret Shortcut <-> I-68, as I wasn't gonna risk Breezewood over Labor Day Weekend.  I suppose next time (who knows when that will be), they'll be some construction activity to see.

[BrianP]

Now that the section north of Meyersdale is being constructed the process for the section south of Meyersdale is being restarted:
   
PLANNING STUDY RESUMES TO IMPROVE CONNECTION BETWEEN I-68 IN GARRETT COUNTY AND MEYERSDALE, PA

And they've established a new web site:
http://www.us219md-pa.com/

The links at the top don't work since they are commented out.  So far they just goto this anyway:
http://www.us219md-pa.com/img/US219_coming-soon_page.png

So the only content other than the home page so far is the newsletter:
http://www.us219md-pa.com/docs/219%20newsletterDraftV5(FINAL).pdf