With a major roadway project set to begin in downtown Franklin, PennDOT officially kicked off its construction season with a press event in Fountain Park.
The Franklin project is the result of a long-time effort to improve Liberty Street's safety and accessibility stemming from discussions and studies from as far back as 2010, according to Mayor Doug Baker who mentioned the many studies done by the city to make downtown a safer place for its residents and visitors.
The roadway project, which is expected to be completed this year sans the new traffic lights and updated line painting which will be completed in 2027.
The Franklin project is the result of a long-time effort to improve Liberty Street's safety and accessibility stemming from discussions and studies from as far back as 2010, according to Mayor Doug Baker who mentioned the many studies done by the city to make downtown a safer place for its residents and visitors.
The roadway project, which is expected to be completed this year sans the new traffic lights and updated line painting which will be completed in 2027.
The bulk of project will kick off April 13 with tree trimming and removal along 15th Street near the intersection with Liberty Street. The project this year will consist of paving, drainage improvements, sidewalks and curbs upgrades as needed, preliminary traffic signal work, and roadway painting and intersection upgrades on Route 62/322 from the intersection of Liberty Street and Eighth Street in the City of Franklin to the intersection of Route 8 and Route 62 in Sandycreek Township.
The work currently underway on Liberty near Trails to Ales is part of the citywide water and sewage project .
The work currently underway on Liberty near Trails to Ales is part of the citywide water and sewage project .
The Route 62/322/8 project also includes sidewalk and curb ramp updates as needed and improvements at eight intersections, including the following:
- Eighth Street – Updated signals, intersection widening.
- Ninth Street – Updated signals.
- Washington Crossing – Updated signals.
- 11th Street – Updated signals.
- 12th Street – Improvements to the roadway geometry, addition of left turning lanes on Liberty Street, updated traffic and pedestrian signals, shorter pedestrian crosswalks, pedestrian bump outs, and ADA compliant curb ramps.
- 13th Street – Addition of left turning lanes on Liberty Street, updated traffic and pedestrian signals, and ADA compliant curb ramps.
- 14th Street – Updated signals.
- 15th Street – Minor roadway widening to accommodate truck turning radius and updated flashing signal.
With the cooperation of the city, some work will be completed during nighttime hours to help speed up the project's duration, increase work zone safety and prevent some traffic tie ups.
Work at the 12th Street intersection will require lane closures and will limit turning options between streets at times. To complete a full reconstruction of the roadway near the intersection of Liberty Street and 15th Street, the roadway will be closed from 14th Street to Chestnut Street for a five-day stretch. The date of the closure will be announced prior to implementation of the detour.
The contractor is Lindy Paving, Inc., of New Galilee, PA. The contract cost is $16,919,145 which is to be paid through a combination of state and federal funds, including a $1,681,748 Transportation Alterative Set-Aside grant awarded to the City of Franklin.
Thursday's kickoff press conference also included announcing the over 100 projects totalling over 300 million dollars in the northwest region of the state including Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties. This investment includes reconstructing and resurfacing more than 130 miles of highways and repairing or replacing 41 bridges.
“PennDOT has a robust construction program for 2026. The District 1 team plans to award 76 contracts this year. That work, combined with the 34 projects that were carried over from 2025, tackles a wide range of transportation needs including large-scale improvements to the region’s interstate system and notable investments into the state and local bridge network in all six counties,” said PennDOT District 1 Executive Brian McNulty.
Work at the 12th Street intersection will require lane closures and will limit turning options between streets at times. To complete a full reconstruction of the roadway near the intersection of Liberty Street and 15th Street, the roadway will be closed from 14th Street to Chestnut Street for a five-day stretch. The date of the closure will be announced prior to implementation of the detour.
The contractor is Lindy Paving, Inc., of New Galilee, PA. The contract cost is $16,919,145 which is to be paid through a combination of state and federal funds, including a $1,681,748 Transportation Alterative Set-Aside grant awarded to the City of Franklin.
Thursday's kickoff press conference also included announcing the over 100 projects totalling over 300 million dollars in the northwest region of the state including Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties. This investment includes reconstructing and resurfacing more than 130 miles of highways and repairing or replacing 41 bridges.
“PennDOT has a robust construction program for 2026. The District 1 team plans to award 76 contracts this year. That work, combined with the 34 projects that were carried over from 2025, tackles a wide range of transportation needs including large-scale improvements to the region’s interstate system and notable investments into the state and local bridge network in all six counties,” said PennDOT District 1 Executive Brian McNulty.
Projects that will see active work in 2026 are:
Venango County
Venango County
- Route 62/322 – Paving and other improvements on 3.28 miles of Route 62 and Route 322 (15th and Liberty streets) in the City of Franklin and Sandy Creek Township; $17 million. Work to be completed in 2027.
- Route 257 – Paving 1.97 miles of Route 257 in Cranberry Township. $2.3 million.
- Petroleum Center Bridge – Preserving the historic bridge that carries Petroleum Center Road (Route 1004) over Oil Creek in Cornplanter Township. Expected bid opening June 18, 2026.
Crawford County
- Route 6 Bridge – Replacement of the bridge that carries Route 6 over French Creek in Hayfield and Woodcock townships; $6.9 million. Second of two truss bridge replacements.
- Dunham Road Bridge – Replacement of the bridge that carries Dunham Road (Route 2039) bridge over Cussewago Creek in Vernon Township; $5.8 million.
- Route 408 – Replacement of the bridge that carries Route 408 (Church Street) over Mohawk Run in Rockdale Township; approximately $991,000.
- Group paving – Paving 6.63 miles of Route 98 in Vernon and Hayfield townships; and 3.59 miles of Route 18 in Summit and Summerhill townships, and the Conneautville Borough; $4.1 million.
- Route 285 – Paving 7.94 miles of Route 285 from Route 19 to Route 173 in Greenwood and Fairfield townships. Expected bid opening on April 9, 2026.
Erie County
- Bayfront Parkway Project – Multifaceted project with pedestrian improvements, including a bridge, two roundabouts and a grade separated intersection, missing trail connections, and improved lighting; $121 million. Started in 2023. Work to be completed in 2027.
- Route 832 – Paving 1.25 miles and traffic signal upgrades and permanent speed tables on Route 832 in Millcreek Township; $6.3 million. Started in 2025.
- Corry Paving – Paving Route 77, Route 426, W. Washington Street (Route 2020) and S. Center Street (Route 2029) in the City of Corry. $9.8 million. Work expected to be completed in 2027.
- Interstate 90 – Paving I-90 from mile marker 18 to mile marker 23, and mechanized patching from mile marker 23 to mile marker 35 in Greene, Harborcreek, McKean, Millcreek, and Summit townships; $19 million. This project started in 2025 with repairs on I-79.
- I-79 – Paving 13 miles of I-79 from mile marker 165 to mile marker 178 in McKean and Summit townships; $37 million.
- Route 5 – Paving 5.21 miles of Route 5 in Fairview and Millcreek townships. Expected bid opening on April 9, 2026.
- Route 20 – Paving 5.08 miles of Route 20 in the City of Erie. Expected bid opening on May 21, 2026.
- Route 5 Bridge – Replacing the upper portion of the bridge that carries Route 5 over Six Mile Creek in Harborcreek Township. Expected bid opening on May 21, 2026.
- I-79 Dual Bridges – Repairs to two bridges on I-79 over CSX & Norfolk Southern Railroads, Irwin Drive, Rudolph Avenue, and West 16th Street in the City of Erie. Expected bid opening in fall 2026. Work to be completed in 2027.
- Erie Bike Loop – Roadway paint and signs to create a bike lane on French Street from E. Ninth Street to E. 26th Street in the City of Erie; approximately $129,000.
Forest County
- River Road Bridge – Repairs to the bridge that carries River Road (Route 2002) over Coleman Run in Barnett Township; $1.1 million.
Mercer County
- I-80 – Reconstructing I-80 from the Ohio state line to mile marker 5 and replacing or repairing seven bridges in Shenango Township; $115.7 million. Work started in 2026 and is expected to be completed in 2027.
- Route 18 and Route 58 Improvements – Intersection improvements and paving near Thiel College in Greenville Borough. Started in 2024. Work to be completed in 2026.
- Service Avenue Bridge – Replacing the bridge that carries Service Avenue over Pine Run in the City of Sharon; $1.4 million. This bridge is owned by Mercer County.
- I-79 – Paving 13.63 miles of I-79 from mile marker 110 to mile marker 118 and mile marker 120 to mile marker 126 as well as preserving eight bridges in Liberty, Springfield, Findley, Jackson, and Lake townships; $21 million. Work is to be completed in 2027.
- Old Mercer Road Bridge – Replacing the bridge that carries Old Mercer Road over Neshannock Creek in East Lackawannock Township. $2.4 million.
- Route 62 – Paving 10.43 miles of Route 62 in Mercer Borough, the City of Hermitage, and Jefferson, Lackawannock and East Lackawannock townships; $1.5 million.
- Route 58 – Paving 10.76 miles of Route 58 in Findley and Pine townships, and Grove City and Mercer boroughs; $4.5 million.
- Route 518 – Intersection improvements at Route 518 and Mercer Avenue (Route 3025) in Sharpsville Borough. Expected bid opening June 18, 2026.
- Group Paving – Paving 5.89 miles of Route 173 in Grove City Borough, and Pine and Springfield townships and 2.06 miles of Route 58 in Pine Township. Expected bid opening April 23, 2026.
Warren County
- Brokenstraw Bridge – Replacing the bridge that carries Kane Road/Cole Hill Road (Route 3014) over Brokenstraw Creek in Pittsfield Township; $2.1 million.
- Page Hollow Road - Paving 7.71 miles of Page Hollow Road (Route 4009) in Pittsfield, Freehold, and Sugar Grove townships; $2 million.
- Davey Hill Road – Two slide corrections on Davey Hill Road (Route 3007) in Deerfield Township. Expected bid opening May 7, 2026.
- Route 62 – Paving 4.04 miles of Route 62 in Limestone Township; $2.6 million.
- Group Paving – Paving 2.42 miles of Route 6, 2.09 miles of resurfacing on Route 666, and 0.65 miles of Horton Avenue (Route 2004) in Sheffield Township. Expected bid opening June 18, 2026. Work to be completed in 2027.
- Tidioute Paving - Paving 2.74 miles of Route 127, Main Street (Route 3007), and Elm Street (Route 3009) in Tidioute Borough. Expected bid opening June 18, 2026.
A complete list of more than 100 District 1 projects is available in the 2026 Construction Book located online under the Public Resources section at www.pa.gov/DOTDistrict1.
Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.pa.gov/DOTprojects. Subscribe to PennDOT news and find transportation results in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties at www.pa.gov/DOTdistrict1. Or follow them on X or Facebook.
Drivers can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.
PennDOT urges drivers to be alert for changing conditions, avoid distractions, and drive responsibly in work zones. Other tips to stay safe in work zones include:
Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.pa.gov/DOTprojects. Subscribe to PennDOT news and find transportation results in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties at www.pa.gov/DOTdistrict1. Or follow them on X or Facebook.
Drivers can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.
PennDOT urges drivers to be alert for changing conditions, avoid distractions, and drive responsibly in work zones. Other tips to stay safe in work zones include:
- Drive the posted speed limit.
- Maintain a safe distance around vehicles and do not tailgate.
- Use four-way flashers when stopped or traveling slowly.
- Always wear a seat belt.
- Turn on your headlights.
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