Ohiopyle State Park to stay open while construction continues
Plum Contracting Inc. and its subcontractors were well on their way to finishing a two-year, $12.4 million project to rebuild the road system, parking lots and other amenities around Ohiopyle State Park by the traditional Memorial Day start of summer activities.
Then two things happened. A CSX railroad project took longer than expected, so road crews were delayed by three weeks in rehabilitating the adjacent Route 381 bridge entering the borough. Then the COVID-19 pandemic shut down all construction across the state for nearly a month.
As a result, widening Route 381, refinishing the main parking lot and completing the new pedestrian tunnel under the highway should be done by Memorial Day. But the auxiliary Falls parking lot, bridge and new bike trails moved from the highway to state property adjacent to the road likely won’t be finished until July 3.
“We talked about the possibility of waiting until September [to finish the work],” said Ken Bisbee, operations manager at the park for the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
“But then we just agreed with [the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation] to get it done as soon as possible. It would be more efficient if we could get it done,” Mr. Bisbee said.
Jay Ofsanik, spokesman for PennDOT’s District 12, said the bridge delay and virus “put a damper” on meeting the agency’s promise to finish work during two offseasons between Labor Day and Memorial Day. About 1.5 million people visit the park annually, most of them between May and September.
“Without the delays, we were expecting to be done on time,” Mr. Ofsanik said.
Mr. Bisbee said the most critical element is to get the road and the main parking lot across from the visitor center finished. Before the season started last year, crews consolidated two smaller lots that had been divided by Sugarloaf Road and moved the road closer to outfitters for whitewater rafting, but this winter, traffic was channeled through the lot to allow improvements to Route 381.
“Can’t miss, parking is the biggest issue,” Mr. Bisbee said. “In my discussions with PennDOT, we agreed it was important to finish the parking lot across from the visitor center first. Instead of working on everything all at once, we’re concentrating on that.”
Facilities at the park, including the visitor center and most businesses in the borough surrounded by the park, are closed right now, as are many businesses because Fayette County still is under the virus quarantine. Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday approved moving the county to the less-restrictive yellow phase of quarantine restrictions beginning May 15.
Even the full stay-at-home order didn’t stop people who were off work or school due to the virus from flocking to the park for hiking, biking and other outdoor activities on weekdays and weekends, Mr. Bisbee said. Attendance was substantially higher than normal in March and April this year.
Despite the number of visitors, Mr. Ofsanik said Plum crews will continue to work during the day, even after Memorial Day.
“We’re not going to limit them to nighttime work,” he said. “The goal now is to have [the parking lot and pedestrian tunnel] done by
Memorial Day. We’re working to minimize what’s left after that.”
In addition to the parking lot and tunnel lighting, crews last week were placing new beams as part of the bridge rehabilitation. The new off-road bike trail from Sheridan Street to Sugarloaf and auxiliary parking lots will wait until later.
Mr. Bisbee said one virus restriction that will be a positive for the park is the ban on large groups, which aren’t allowed there until at least midJune. That will help to limit the number of visitors.
Mr. Bisbee’s staff began working with outfitters and other merchants last week on the protocols for social distancing, masks and other safety precautions they will have to follow as they are allowed to reopen.
This weekend, the park opened one restroom at the train station along the Great Allegheny Passage. For the summer, portable bathrooms and changing stations will be available in the park’s main lot as they were last season, with the new bathhouse scheduled for construction in the fall, as originally planned.
The virus emergency also has made operations different at the park, Mr. Bisbee said. His normal staff of about 40 was reduced to five due to the virus, with the visitor center and most other functions closed to the public.
Now, Mr. Bisbee is bringing back staff to get ready for the season.
“It takes us some time to get the park back in operation. It’s always a mad scramble for us to get ready. To take a three-week break just makes it a little more hectic.”