Stimulus dollars at work

By SANDRA K. REABUCK
The Tribune-Democrat

March 08, 2009 11:53 pm

— Preservation work on some smaller bridges along with repaving of a couple of major thoroughfares highlight the highways projects funded with federal stimulus funds in the region.
Cambria
Cambria County is to receive $10.898 million, and the projects to be funded are as follows:
• Bituminous resurfacing on both north and south lanes on Route 219 between Galleria and Sidman Interchanges, $8.6 million.
• Bridge preservation of three bridges - $1.3 million. Will include: Bridge on Route 1021 over Wyerough Run near the Wyerough Boat Launch at Glendale Lake in White Township; bridge on Route 1026 over Slate Lake Run near Rifle Range State Park Road in White Township; bridge on Route 4024 over Chest Creek in Chest Township.
• Bridge preservation on two bridges on Ebensburg-Loretto Road over the RJ Corman Railroad line, $1 million. Will include bridge near intersection of Munster Road in Allegheny Township; Bridge near Winterset Road in Cambria Township.
• If additional funds are made available, two other projects are listed: Bituminous paving of Route 53 from Cresson Borough’s southern border north to Route 36 in Ashville area, $3.5 million; Concrete pavement restoration and bituminous paving of Route 22 from Pensacola Road west of Ebensburg Interchange to the Nanty Glo Interchange, $7.5 million.
Somerset and Bedford counties projects are included in a list draw up by the four-county Southern Alleghenies Rural Transportation Coordinating Committee. The four counties, which include Huntingdon and Fulton, are to be allocated $25.65 million.
Somerset
Somerset County’s projects are;
• Replacement of three bridges over Shaffer’s Run on routes 2019 and 2011, $2.3 million.
• Removal of Wilber Coal Co. coal mine railroad bridge, $800,000.
• Maintenance work on Route 30 from Westmoreland County line to state Route 985, $1.3 million.
Bedford
Those in Bedford County are:
• New bituminous paving on Bedford Bypass section of Route 30, approximately 4.5 miles of the four-lane highway from Stony Creek Lane to Snake Spring Township line, $8 million.
• Superstructure bridge replacement of two state Route 915 bridges over Sandy Run, $2.6 million.
If additional funds become available, two other Bedford bridge projects are to be considered along with the painting of 19 bridges, including three in Cambria County. All of those projects carry a price tag of $7.8 million.