February 15,  2000

Ms. Marilyn O'Marick
369 Profio Road
McDonald, PA 15057

Dear Ms. O'Matrick:

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission's ongoing development of the proposed Southern Beltway has sparked a new wave of contacts to my office by residents who are concerned about where this expressway will be located. Specifically, a new round of mailings to owners of properties in areas under consideration has brought this issue back to the forefront, particularly in the McDonald area.

As I have done previously, I am including in this letter the latest information I have been able to obtain from the Turnpike Commission about the Southern Beltway Project from U.S. 22 to Interstate 79. Please understand that elected officials such as state legislators, senators and congressmen DO NOT control this process and ARE NOT primary decision makers in the process.

The mailings to which I referred are courtesy notices that the Turnpike Commission, pursuant to authority provided in the state Eminent Domain Code, may be entering a particular property during its ongoing field work. The purpose of the field studies, which began about two years ago, is to identify resources that warrant consideration in determining the best (or worst) location for a new highway. These resources include homes, parks, churches, cemeteries, historic structures, streams, wetlands and wildlife habitat.

Estimated impacts of the various alternative routes for the project will be presented for public review and comment at another series of open house meetings that likely will be held this summer. Based on the findings and input from the public, elected officials and the federal and state agencies that are monitoring advancement of this project, the Turnpike Commission is expected to identify a "recommended preferred" alternative when it publishes its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).

This document will be in circulation for 45 days, probably late this year and/or early next year. Again, public comment will be sought. During the 45-day circulation period, a public hearing will be held too. Ultimately, the Turnpike Commission will prepare and circulate a Final Environmental Imp act Statement. Approval of this document by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration, possibly in 2002, would represent final environmental clearance.

At that point, the Turnpike Commission would be able to perform final design. Final design is when the exact location of the expressway would be determined and the exact right-of-way lines would be drawn, within the narrow corridor identified as the selected alternative. The final design process would take about three years, maybe longer. After that, the Turnpike Commission would acquire property for the right-of-way and, after necessary utility relocations are completed, would begin construction.

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The time frame for these events is nebulous because, at this point, funding is committed only to advance this project through final environmental clearance. That's also the case for the Southern Beltway Project that would extend east from 1-79 (possibly through another part of Cecil Township) to the Mon/Fayette Expressway in the Finleyville area. Depending upon the availability of funding, this project, which was first conceived in 1954, could be completed as early as 2009, as late as 2020, or perhaps never at all.

And while final design of the Southern Beltway component project south from Pittsburgh International
Airport to US 22 in Robinson Township, Washington County is underway, funding has not been committed
to advance that project beyond final design. Final authorization for the project will be made by the U.S.
Department of Transportation.

The Southern Beltway projects are designed to improve access and ease the growing strain on our undersized two-lane roadways. These and other improvements to our transportation infrastructure will help make the region more marketable to prospective employers and prospective residents. At the same time, siting of the projects must meet the many basic environmental and residential concerns expressed both in law and in public opinion.

The Turnpike Commission has emphasized to me that citizen participation is highly encouraged. You can provide input by contacting Mr. Thomas A. Fox, Public Involvement Manager, Pennsylvanian Turnpike Commission, Western Regional Office, 2200 North Center Avenue, New Stanton, PA 15672-9602. Comments should be based on the guidelines and information provided by the enclosed fact sheets.

There is information about the Southern Beltway projects at www.paturnpike.com  - click on Construction/Expansion, then click on Expansion Projects.

I appreciate your concern about this project and how it might impact you and the community. Please do not hesitate to contact me at any time regarding this project, or other state government matters of concern to you.
 
 

Enclosures

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