Sen. Bob Casey: Montoursville project will improve safety, spur growth

Federal highway and bridge investment dollars are being pumped into Lycoming County to modernize intersections and construct bridges.

On Tuesday, that much was clear as U.S. Sen. Bob Casey-D, Scranton, joined local officials in the Montoursville-Fairfield Township area to provide an update on a $7.8 million intersection improvement and bridge replacement project.

Casey also took the time to highlight what a bipartisan infrastructure law passed in 2021 will provide for the motoring public.

Standing near the Fairfield Road and Lycoming Mall Drive work zone, he described the impacts that federal infrastructure investment through the bipartisan Infrastructure Law has had on the region and will for generations.

The intersection improvement and bridge replacement project underway will replace the bridge carrying Lycoming Mall Drive over Bennetts Run, improve the intersection of Fairfield Road and Lycoming Mall Drive, include the installation of three permanent traffic signals on Fairfield Road and bring further roadway improvements in Fairfield Township.

The project includes $4.8 million in federal funding, made possible through the federal law.

Casey noted how this kind of investment is only possible because of what is known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, passed in 2021, he said.

"It was bipartisan legislation, the kind that members of Congress and various presidents of the United States have talked about for at least 50 years," he said.

The federal investment actually represents more than 60% of the funding of the project overall.

Casey, pointing behind him to the intersection, said the intersection needed to be improved. It is one in which drivers must make quick decisions, to either dart out into oncoming traffic or stop and wait. It is bustling as a midway point between Greater Williamsport and eastern Lycoming County.

As he spoke, the rumble of heavy equipment trucks and traffic volume could be heard as traffic flew by en route to the borough of Montoursville and east.

There will be a repaving of the intersection, traffic light additions and a bridge replacement, he said, glad to be a lawmaker who could make a difference.

"All of that investment means job creation. It also, of course, means safety," Casey added. "Better safety for all of the residents of this county, or any other county, that pass through this intersection," he said.

It also means an enhanced ability to transact business, move commerce and make an investment and have an economic growth that this part of the county and region are going to experience because of other investments.

"It's good news for Pennsylvania," he said. "It is a demonstration that when Washington makes investments in the infrastructure, it pays great dividends in terms of safety, in terms of jobs and in terms of growth."

Casey was joined by officials with the state Department of Transportation (PennDOT District 3), along with Shannon Rossman, executive director of Lycoming County Department of Planning and Community Development.

The intersection has increased in traffic volume over the years, with drivers having to make quick decisions to either enter the flow of traffic or stop. It recently served as a by-pass route to redirect traffic on I-180 during a fatal crash on the interstate.

The federal government has invested tens of millions into improving the transportation infrastructure of Lycoming County and the surrounding region.

"The people of this part of the county and Lycoming County and the region have a right to expect that when their tax dollars go to Washington it will be returned to them," Casey said.

Pennsylvania will get more than $13 billion over five years, he added.

"We have never seen that kind of investment in recent history and it's needed," Casey said. "We can't short change our infrastructure . . . it is long overdue," Casey said. "We are going to probably have to make this kind of investment again," he said.

Adding to the description of the project and importance of investment and construction work being done were Eric High, District Executive, PennDOT District 3.

He said while this project is happening so too is the $11.3 million resurfacing of I-180 and $1.1 million resurfacing of Broad Street.

Overall, the department is going to let or bid out 110 projects and be able to invest $280 million because of this federal bipartisan law, High said.

"This project not only preserves and updates our historic infrastructure investment in existing roadways and bridges to ensure they continue to service the generations to come, but also modernized them, by adding additional turning lanes and traffic signals to accommodate the existing and future growth that is critical to maintain Lycoming County's and Pennsylvania's economic vitality," High said.

HRI Inc. is the prime contractor for this two-year project. Work on this project is expected to be completed by next fall, he noted.

Rossman observed how the project and others are important toward the continued connectivity of the region to other parts of the state.

She said projects funded by the infrastructure law will help people with their commute, assist emergency vehicles and business and freight traffic. She believed traffic volume in this part of the county could only be expected to increase, especially with the opening of the Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway south of the county in Union, Northumberland and Snyder counties.

Overall, the federal bipartisan infrastructure law is bringing over $4 billion in additional road and bridge improvement projects.

Additionally, Gov. Josh Shapiro has also proposed investing $1.5 billion more in the state's roads and bridges over the next five years.

Motorists may check with www.511PA.com for road conditions.