Comments sought for proposed Allegheny Tunnel Turnpike project in Somerset
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The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is accepting public comment through Thursday on six proposals, including one that would replace the existing Allegheny Tunnel in Somerset County with a $332 million-plus “cut” and bypass across the Allegheny Ridge.
The commission and representatives from engineering consultant L.R. Kimball in Ebensburg recently held an open house in Somerset to present an analysis of six alternatives to the tunnel, which spans Allegheny and Stonycreek townships along the toll road.
The commission has been working on proposals to replace or eliminate the tunnel “for several years,” said Renee Vid Colburn, Turnpike spokeswoman. The upgrades were deemed necessary because of traffic congestion, frequency and severity of accidents in the vicinity, deteriorating conditions and the necessity to reroute vehicles carrying hazardous materials — which are prohibited in the tunnel — onto alternate routes, Colburn said.
Among the six proposals, the commission said its preferred alternative is the “Gray Cut Alternative,” which would replace the 6,070-foot tunnel with a 3.7-mile-long cut and above-ground bypass, just south of the existing tunnel.
Turnpike officials have been studying improvements to the tunnel since 1997.
At the public meeting in Somerset, Turnpike officials and the consultant reported that the “Gray Cut” alternative best balances the environmental, engineering, operational, cost and safety considerations. It is the cheapest of the proposals compared to the other five plans, which range from $378 million to $761 million.
The six alternatives are located in three corridors along the ridge, each with a bypass and a tunnel alternative.
Construction is still “many years away,” Colburn said.
“We’re still in the environmental study portion of the project. We’re still gathering the public comments, which will be … submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for its review,” she said.
The anticipated time frame, if the “Gray Cut” is selected, would have design in place possibly “in early 2021.” Work would last at least four years.
“Upon final permit issuances (both federal and state) and completion of design, construction could take anywhere from four to six years depending on funding and many other factors,” Turnpike officials said.
Somerset County commissioners this month sent a letter to L.R. Kimball, stating their opposition to the agency’s preferred plan. Commissioners did not suggest an alternate.
“In our opinion, the proposed cuts will have a devastating impact on the environment of both Somerset and Bedford counties. Groundwater loss will impact the wetland and water sources of the region,” the letter states.
“The bypass area is a safety concern for all who travel the turnpike on a regular basis. The conditions at the top of the ridge are, quite often, treacherous, while the condition of the roadway just a few hundred feet lower is acceptable,” the two-page letter states.
“Perhaps the most significant argument in opposition to the cut is that of history, beauty and quality of life,” the commissioners said.
More information is available at patpconstruction.com/allegtunn/map.aspx
The address for mailing comments is L.R. Kimball, 615 W. Highland Ave., Ebensburg, PA 15931