Beltway work not expected to be very disruptive

More than 150 people turned out Tuesday evening to learn how construction related to the Southern Beltway will affect their lives during the next 18 months.

In many cases, the answer was: Not much.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike is building the 13-mile, $800 million toll road along the Allegheny Washington County border to link Interstate 79 with Route 22 near Pittsburgh International Airport.

The part of the project discussed Tuesday at Southpointe involves making adjustments to existing roads near I-79 and the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies in advance of building the Southern Beltway interchange with I-79.

Independence Excavating of Cleveland has a $23.6 million contract to relocate Morgan Road, build bridges over the interstate and the new highway, straighten Morganza Road and install a roundabout where Morgan, Baker and Morganza roads come together.

The first part of the work will involve closing Morgan Road in November for about a year from just beyond the Morganza Road intersection to the entrance to the cemetery so Morgan can be moved about 20 feet south.

Matt Endy, who has lived on Morganza Road for 11 years, will

find his part of the road becoming a cul-de-sac when contractors straighten the existing road. Neighbors on the other side of the road had their homes taken for the project.

“It’s not bad — could be worse,” said Mr. Endy, who could face difficulties turning onto Morganza. “At least we still have our house.”

Ann Grimes, who lives on Fellowship Road off Morganza, was pleasantly surprised.

“It’s much less [of a disruption] than I thought it would be,” she said. “It will take traffic away from the existing street.”

Joe Neubert, project manager from Independence’s Pittsburgh office, said this part of the project involves more residents and traffic because it changes existing roads. The company also is building another section of the beltway that runs through mostly forested or overgrown land.

“It’s a little bit different because of all the people involved,” he said. “I think the biggest challenge is all of the public interface — the residents, the traffic, the cemetery.”

The cemetery’s main entrance from Morgan will remain open but construction will cause cemetery visitors to circle around and take County Line Road from Morganza to another section of Morgan. The start of work was delayed several weeks while signs were placed to direct traffic to the cemetery.

“Whatever we’ve needed, they have come through,” Ed Hajduk, assistant cemetery director, said of the turnpike and its contractors. “No processions will be affected. It might be be a little noisy at times, but that’s all.”

The bulk of the work on this project will take place next year. The turnpike expects to award a contract in early 2019 for the I-79 interchange, the most complicated part of the project that could cost $150 million to $250 million.

Most of the new highway will open in 2021, but the interstate interchange may not open until a year later.