Pennsylvania's Department of Transportation (PENNDOT) District 9-0 has retained Greenhorne & O'Mara, Inc. (G&O) to prepare preliminary engineering and environmental studies for the 15.2 mile section of U.S. 219 between the northern section of the Meyersdale Bypass and the existing four lane section of U.S. 219 near Somerset Borough (see map below).

Improvements to U.S. 219 are needed due to deficient levels of service, high accident rates, increased travel times and delays, an inefficient link for motorists traveling between I-68 in Maryland and the PA Turnpike, limited economic development for local areas, and insufficient access to local communities.

U.S. 219 is a major north-south transportation corridor providing access from Canada, through New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia. It has been designated as a principal arterial on the National Highway System (NHS). The portion located in Pennsylvania is on the Pennsylvania Priority Commercial Network (PCN). U.S. 219 is also part of a larger transportation corridor, called "Continental 1," which extends from Florida to Canada and is being promoted as a multimodal international trade corridor.

PENNDOT understands that many residents in the area are frustrated at the length of time the planning process has taken to date and will take before actual construction can begin.

But, as members of the project team explain, it is important that a complete inventory of environmental resources be identified prior to the development of alternatives. Once a variety of potential alternatives has been developed, an analysis of the environmental impacts associated with the alternatives will be prepared. During this phase, the public and environmental agencies will be requested to provide input on the alternatives and environmental impacts. This input is critical to the process of selecting the best alternatives to carry through to the detailed study phases.

We appreciate your eagerness, and we need your input to further develop reasonable alternatives with the least environmental impacts.