SEVEN FIELDS, Pa. — On any given day, traffic on Route 228 can get heavy.
“We come down once a week, generally on the weekend and the traffic down here is quite difficult to get through,” said Kim Wetzel of Saxonburg.
“Traffic is what it is,” added Jim Schrott of Adams Township. “Traffic is bad most of the time. It’s busy.”
Soon, that traffic could get heavier. Henderson Crossing is expected to open in 2029, anchored by a Meijer grocery store.
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The development comes at the same time PennDOT will be working on widening a nearby section of Route 228.
PennDOT completed a traffic study in the area for the development, but council members say it didn’t do enough, especially on busy back roads.
“But when that heads out on Mars Crider Road, which heads on the back side behind North Catholic School, none of that was addressed,” said Seven Fields Borough Councilman Russell Zangrilli.
Zangrilli said the concerns start before anything opens.
“Let’s just even take a look at the impact on construction, them building it,” Zangrilli said. “Heavy trucks running through the roads, what’s going to happen? We don’t know yet.”
So, the borough sent a letter to PennDOT asking for a revision to that traffic study.
“We want to make sure that those impacts are properly evaluated,” Zangrilli said.
PennDOT sent Channel 11’s Andrew Havranek a statement Thursday afternoon on the request.
“We’ve received the concerns from Seven Fields Borough regarding the Transportation Impact Study for the proposed Henderson Crossing Development. Our permits unit is reviewing the letter they sent to us and will provide a response by their requested deadline. We’ll continue to work with Seven Fields Borough, Cranberry Township, and the developer to provide clarity through the process.”
“Get ahead of the game,” Zangrilli said. “That’s the only thing we’re trying to do.”
The requested deadline for PennDOT to respond to the Seven Fields Council is February 25.
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