Interstate 70 West - Westmoreland County
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 12 completed 15 improvement projects along Interstate 70 in Washington and Westmoreland Counties as of 2020. Construction projects continuing into 2021 included widening I-70/79 east from PA 136 to their split and I-70 east to PA 519 and improvements at the Yukon (Exit 53) and Madison (Exit 54) Interchanges.
Additionally five projects were in the design phase as of early 2021. Future work modernizes an eight mile stretch of I-70 between Exit 32 / Bentleyville and the Belle Vernon Bridge, rebuilds the diamond interchange at Exit 44 / Arnold City with a five leg roundabout, and replaces the cloverleaf at Exit 46 / PA 51 with a DDI.
West
Construction in 2016-17 consolidated separates ramps for Center Avenue (SR 3093) and Bair Boulevard (SR 3089) in New Stanton with a new dogbone interchange (Exit 57) to the west.
10/15/04
Bair Boulevard arcs northeast from Exit 57 to Center Avenue (SR 3111) in New Stanton. Buttermore Avenue (SR 3089) extends south from the roundabout joining Bair Boulevard, Pennsylvania Avenue (SR 3046) and I-70 toward the borough of Hunker.
10/15/04
A parclo interchange (Exit 54) joins I-70 westbound with Hunker Road (SR 3014) at Waltz Mill Road (SR 3037) south of the borough of Madison.
10/15/04
I-70 arcs southwest across Sewickley Creek to a folded diamond interchange (Exit 53) with Huntingdon Street and Wyano Waltz Mill Road (SR 3010) by the community of Yukon.
10/15/04
Waltz Mill Road (SR 3010) angles southeast to PA 31 near Ruffs Dale. Huntington Road extends west from Exit 53 to the community of Wyano.
10/15/04
Passing by Wyano, I-70 advances southwest to Exit 51 with PA 31 (West Newton Ruffsdale Road).
10/15/04
PA 31 concludes 3.1 miles to the west of I-70 at PA 136 (Main Street) outside the borough of West Newton. PA 31 east travels 8.3 miles to U.S. 119 outside the borough of Mount Pleasant.
10/15/04
$66.9 million in construction reconfigured the four loop cloverleaf with PA 31 at Exit 51 into a diamond interchange. Work was completed in November 2020.
10/15/04
Exit 49 connects Interstate 70 with Fitz Henry Road (SR 3031) south to PA 981 and the borough of Smithton and west to Fitz Henry.
10/15/04
The exchange at Exit 49 was rebuilt into a parclo interchange with new ramps on the north. The previous off-ramp ties into Motordrome Road (SR 3059) just east of Fitz Henry Road.
10/15/04
I-70 spans the Youghiogheny River across the Smithton High Level Bridge into Rostraver township. Construction anticipated from 2022-25 widens 2.1 miles through the exchange (Exit 46) with PA 51.
10/15/04
2022-25 construction will reconfigure Exit 46 from a cloverleaf interchange into a DDI. PA 51 travels south to the Fayette County seat of Uniontown and north to Elizabeth, Jefferson Hills, Brentwood and Pittsburgh.
10/15/04
Construction anticipated to start in 2022 expands a 1.75 mile section of I-70 through the Arnold City Interchange. The median will be widened from four to ten feet and the outside shoulders expanded from 10 to 12 feet.
10/15/04
Interstate 70 continues west to Exit 44 with Indian Hill Road (SR 3011) north and parallel Finley Road.
10/15/04
The I-70 Section D10 Arnold City Interchange Improvements Project reconstructs the exchange with longer ramps and a five-leg roundabout with Finley Road.
10/15/04
Indian Hill Road meanders 1.1 miles north to PA 201 (Rostraver Road). Arnold City lies between PA 201 and Rehoboth Road (SR 4021) in northern Fayette County.
10/15/04
PA 201 (Rostraver Road) converges with Interstate 70 at Exit 43 near Allens Crossroads and Pricedale.
10/15/04
C. Vance Deicas Memorial Highway (SR 3013) branches north from PA 201 (Rostraver Road) nearby to the Monessen Bridge linking PA 906 near Monessen with PA 837 in Donora.
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Exit 43B departs for PA 201 (Rostraver Road) north toward Donora. PA 837 parallels the Monongahela River from PA 88 in Carroll township to West End Village in Pittsburgh.
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PA 201 extends south from Exit 43A to Fairhope, Naomi and the borough of Fayette City along the Monongahela River.
10/15/04
Exit 42A follows from I-70 west to Tyrol Boulevard (SR 3003) north to the city of Monessen.
10/15/04
Tyrol Boulevard runs along the east side of Monessen to PA 901 (Eastgate Avenue) near the Monessen business district.
10/15/04
I-70 enters the borough of North Belle Vernon ahead of the trumpet interchange (Exit 42) with Fayette Avenue (SR 3007).
10/15/04
Washington Street forms part of the ramps with I-70 westbound at Exit 42. Several homes line a section of Monogahela Street within the loop ramp.
10/15/04
PA 901 (Bel Vernon Monessen Road) arcs south along a CSX Railroad line from Monessen to become Main Street at Interstate 70 and the Belle Vernon borough line.
10/15/04
PA 906 parallels the Monongahela River north through Monessen to PA 126 at Milesville in Allegheny County and south to PA 201 at Naomi.
10/15/04
A folded diamond interchange (Exit 41) joins I-70 and PA 906 adjacent to the Belle Vernon Bridge across the Monongahela River. A high level bridge carries the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad to the north.
10/15/04
The Belle Vernon Bridge is a cantilevered arch bridge crossing the Monongahela River at the corner of Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland Counties.
10/15/04
The Belle Vernon Bridge dates back to 1951. With no shoulders, the 2,066 foot long span supports a 53.2 foot wide deck.1
10/15/04
References:
- Belle Vernon Bridge. Bridgehunter.com
Photo Credits:
- AARoads: 10/15/04
Page Updated Wednesday January 13, 2021.