Turnpike widening project will impact dozens of property owners

PLUM BOROUGH, Pa. — The next phase of the Pennsylvania Turnpike widening project is going to affect dozens of families who live along the highway.

The road is expanding to three lanes in each direction between Plum Borough and Monroeville.

On Thursday night, some families who live along that stretch of highway learned part of their properties could be taken to make way for the new lanes.

“Now, they're going to have to tear out our whole entire driveway and it's going to slope down another foot,” said Julie Bucci.

Bucci knows her driveway will be the first thing to go once construction gets underway. She lives on Hulton Road in Plum. The road will be lowered two feet, and that means her driveway will have to be torn up. She’s not sure what’s going to happen to her home.

“It's a little disturbing. I'd like to know if you're going to take my house or are you putting the turnpike right up against my house,” she said.

At an informational meeting Thursday night, Bucci learned that she’s one of 23 homeowners whose properties will likely be affected by the $27 million widening project. Eleven of those families will have to move.

Overhead bridges will also be revamped.

This is just the beginning of a long-term goal to add a lane on either side of the turnpike between the Allegheny Valley and Pittsburgh interchanges.

“It's going to be a lot louder and closer. We just want answers and we're not going to get them for awhile,” Bucci said.

If she’s able to stay in her home, Bucci is hoping the Turnpike Commission will make some concessions so traffic won’t be running through her backyard.

“How much are you taking? I really would like a sound wall put up,” she said.

Channel 11 reached out to the Turnpike Commission but we are still waiting to hear back.

Work on Hulton Road and the bridges is scheduled to begin in 2018. Widening of the lanes won’t get underway until 2021.

Cox Media Group