Project Overview

Summer 2007 - Project Team Members work to address comments received during the public comment period and Public Hearing.

Spring 2007 - The Environmental Assessment was available for public review and a Public Hearing was held on June 7, 2007.

Spring 2006 - The Project Team worked to ensure that all concerns were considered in the environmental document and that all applicable State and Federal laws and regulations were followed.

Spring 2005 - The Project Team met with the CAC to propose discontinuing studies on the Northern Alternative (Blue) and on the Southern 2 Alternative (Yellow). Input was gathered on the remaining two alternatives - the Online Alternative (Yellow-Black) and the Southern 1 Alternative (Yellow-Aqua-Black). Of the CAC members in attendance the majority favored the Southern 1 Alternative. Many of the representatives of the school subcommittee and observers favored the Online Alternative. Some of the CAC members were unable to attend this meeting, this includes members from the municipality of Adams Township.

Winter 2005 - The Project Team continued environmental and engineering analyses and began preparation of the environmental clearance document.

Fall 2004 - The Project Team announced the results of the reevaluation to elected officials and members of the CAC. Preliminary design activities are moved forward for the Route 228 Improvement Project in Butler County. CAC members concurred with the results of the evaluation.

Spring 2004 - The Project Team was asked to evaluate the project based on a decision by the Commonwealth to apply a more fiscal balance to the State's transportation program.

Winter 2003/2004 - The Project Team met with business owners within the Cranberry Commons Mall and in the area of Route 19/228. The purpose of the meetings was to present the engineering option that may impact local businesses; to discuss traffic flow; to receive input from businesses on the option; and to discuss future communications.

Fall 2003 - Engineering and environmental studies continued on the alternatives being refined for the Route 228 project. As a result of these studies the purple, blue and brown-red alternative segments will not be studied further. The public was presented with this information at a public meeting in November and asked for input on those alternatives being carried forward. More than one alternative was studied in the area of the schools and the western termini of the project. Through detailed studies and public input, PennDOT obtained more data, which helped to determine a preferred alternative for these areas.

map from meeting 4Public Meeting No. 4 - November 5, 2003
These alternatives have been recommended for further study. Based on public input and more detailed studies, PennDOT will obtain more data, which will help to determine a recommended alternative.

Summer 2003 - During the summer months, the Project Team conducted extensive field studies in the project area and performed detailed analyses on each alternative. As environmental data collection concluded, team members began filing the information into formal reports. Investigation and reporting continues on cultural resources, such as historic and archeological resources.

The Project Team worked with the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) to obtain future traffic counts on each proposed alternative. The Project Team now has all counts and is conducting engineering analysis with this information.

A corridor-wide land use plan is being jointly developed by the local municipalities. PennDOT continues coordination efforts with these municipalities in the development of the plan. The results will provide guidance to the Project Team in incorporating land use into the studies, and eventually, roadway design.

In July 2003, the Project Team held three sub-committee meetings to discuss each of the alternatives in more detail. These meetings were held to discuss the alternatives in the western and eastern termini of the project as well as the area near the schools. CAC members, representing these areas, in addition major stakeholders from the area, were invited to participate in the meeting. During the meeting, the group participated in a brainstorming session where they identified strengths, weakness, challenges and opportunities related to each alternative in each specific area of the project. The Project Team has been analyzing potential engineering solutions to determine their feasibility.

Spring 2003 - Prior to discontinuing studies on alternatives, the Project Team conduced preliminary environmental studies on each of the preliminary alternatives developed. Based on an assessment of project needs, impacts to the environment and community resources and public input, the Project Team did not carry most of the northern and southern alternatives into detailed studies. The exception to this is the offline alternatives to the west of Franklin Road and to the west and east of Route 8. The alternatives carried forward for further study consist primarily of online improvements to existing Route 228, combined with offline improvements in the eastern and western portions of the study area.

map from meeting 3 Public Meeting No. 3 - November 18, 2002

Based on an assessment of project needs, impacts to the environment and community resources and public input, the Project Team did not carry most of the northern and southern alternatives into detailed studies.

Summer/Fall 2002

map from meeting 2 Public Meeting No. 2 - August 8, 2002
The study area was expanded based on public input. These 18 preliminary alternatives were developed together with the project team and the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) and presented to the public for comment.

Winter 2001/2002 - the Project Team completed the Needs Study. The Needs Study identified current and anticipated problems that should be solved or deficiencies that should be corrected in order to provide a safe, efficient transportation system. The needs identified include:

  • Roadway Capacity
  • Access
  • Safety

In February of 2002, the Project Team began the Preliminary Alternatives Analysis Phase of the project. PennDOT District 10-0, working with State and Federal transportation and environmental resource agencies and CAC Members, developed a range of preliminary alternatives for consideration by the public and Project Team. Two alternatives to the south were suggested that impact northern Allegheny County. As a result of this effort, the study area was expanded and includes the following municipalities: Adams Township, Cranberry Township, Mars Borough, Marshall Township, Middlesex Township, Pine Township portions of Richland Township, Seven Fields Borough, and Valencia Borough. After a line drawing exercise, the alignments were modified by PennDOT and the Project Team, and then presented to the public at a public meeting. In November of 2002, PennDOT presented the alternatives to be carried forward into detailed studies to the public. The following list of alternatives were studied during this phase:

  • Online 1-4
  • South 3 (brown) to South 2-6 (red). Area at and east of Rt. 8
  • South 1 (blue) at and east of Rt. 8
  • North 3 (green). Immediately west and east of Rt. 8. Please note that a connection to the online alternatives will be added. This link will run parallel to and west of Rt. 8, connecting to an online alternative.
  • South 5 (purple) at the western terminus of the project, from online at Seven Fields to the Turnpike Connector.
  • Route 8 will also be studied in detail and considered as a possible alternative.

Summer 2001 - PennDOT and the Project Team began working on this project in May 2001 and research was conducted to gain a better understanding of the project area. As part of an extensive public involvement program for this project, a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) was formed later that summer. Members of the Project Team interviewed stakeholders that may be affected by the project to gain a better understanding of their concerns about Route 228.

map from meeting 1 Public Meeting No. 1 - June 20-21, 2001
This map of the study area was presented for the public to provide input as to areas of concern and features of importance.