Multi-million dollar reconstruction project begins on busy Rochester road

ROCHESTER, Pa. — A full roadway reconstruction project is underway along Route 68 in Rochester.

Work is happening on Adams Street, a main roadway through town.

Crews will be working around the clock until mid-November.

“Well, it’ll be a long time!” said Ethel Clayton of Rochester.

It’s a $7 million project that goes from the roundabout in Rochester up to Virginia Avenue, nearly 1.3 miles.

“I’m glad,” Clayton said. “I’m glad that our tax dollars are being spent here in this community.”

Despite that, neighbors who live and work in Rochester are worried about the increased traffic that will now have to take side streets to get through town, since both lanes of Adams Street are closed.

“I’m mostly concerned about the semis, because we had a semi come down past our street and get caught on cable wires and rip off some of our siding,” Clayton said. “So I hope nothing like that happens again.”

“You gotta worry about them side swiping cars also, you know? The more traffic on these side streets, I think, it’s the worst,” said Eric Gorius, who works in Rochester. “They should have come up with a better plan, ultimately.”

PennDOT tells Channel 11 in a statement, “During design, our staff thoroughly investigated traffic restriction options throughout this corridor. It was determined this approach would be the most efficient and allow the contractor to complete the work sooner. Additionally, local traffic will still have access to homes and businesses in this corridor during construction.”

But neighbors are also worried about big summer events.

“There’s a lot that goes on around here for the Fourth of July, but every day’s going to be an inconvenience,” Gorius said.

Beaver County Boom and Boom on the Bridge — a concert and fireworks show — are scheduled for June 27 this year.

In a statement, PennDOT said they spoke with organizers of Beaver County Boom last year and “there were no concerns raised with project as it related to their event so as long as the Rochester roundabout remained open.”

“I’ll stay away from here as long as I’m not working!” Gorius said.

For more information on the project and the posted detour, click here.

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