SEVEN FIELDS, Pa. — The next and final phase of the Route 228 Expansion Project in Butler County is set to begin.
“By improving this whole corridor, it should make traffic much safer,” said Tina Gibbs with PennDOT District 10.
The Mars Railroad Bridge West Expansion project will soon widen 228 from Cranberry through Seven Fields and Adams Township between Franklin Road to just west of Pittsburgh Street.
“That area has really just expanded enormously over the years, so there’s a lot more traffic, a lot more businesses, a lot more residents that need access to different portions to that area and the 228 corridor really ties it all together,” Gibbs said.
This project started in 2021.
The first phase realigned Balls Bend.
The second widened 228 and Three Degree Road, and added roundabouts
Another phase brought the expansion of Freedom Road from two lanes to four lanes on the other side of Route 19.
On Thursday, PennDOT met with community leaders to check in on the project’s timeline.
“It’s been a while since the original project inception, so this was really just kind of a good place to have a touch point meeting to get them updated on any changes that may have happened, new timelines, things like that so we’re all on the same page together,” Gibbs said.
The project is still in the design phase. It’s estimated to cost $90 to $100 million. PennDOT, Butler County, and the communities involved are working to get grants and find other ways to pay for it.
“So that’s really where we kind of stand right now is sort of in that limbo area of pulling all the final details together and securing that funding,” Gibbs said.
Right now, there’s no timeframe on when construction might start.
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