Mon–Fayette Expressway
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The Mon–Fayette Expressway is a partially-completed tolled
freeway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...
that is planned to eventually link
Interstate 68 Interstate 68 (I-68) is a Interstate Highway in the US states of West Virginia and Maryland, connecting I-79 in Morgantown, West Virginia, to I-70 in Hancock, Maryland. I-68 is also Corridor E of the Appalachian Development Highway ...
near Morgantown,
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
with
Interstate 376 Interstate 376 (I-376) is a major auxiliary route of the Interstate Highway System in the US state of Pennsylvania, located within the Allegheny Plateau. It runs from I-80 near Sharon south and east to a junction with the Pennsylvania T ...
near Monroeville, Pennsylvania. The ultimate goal of the highway is to provide a high speed north–south connection between Morgantown and the eastern side of
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...
while revitalizing economically distressed
Monongahela River The Monongahela River ( , )—often referred to locally as the Mon ()—is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 15, 2011 river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-cen ...
Valley towns in Fayette and Washington counties, serving as an alternative to Interstate 79 to the west, as well as relieving the PA 51 alignment from Pittsburgh to Uniontown. Although it is being built to Interstate Highway standards, there is debate as to whether or not the freeway will become part of the
Interstate Highway System The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. T ...
. At least one proposal was to give it the Interstate 97 designation (unrelated to the existing I-97 in Maryland), while others have been to make it a spur route of I-68. In the interim, the highway uses state highway designations instead, as it does not parallel an existing U.S. Route for its entire length, though it does parallel and at times run
concurrent Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to: Law * Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea'' * Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
with U.S. Route 40 and U.S. Route 119 for portions of its length. The route, in its three jurisdictions, uses the number 43 for familiarity-based reasons, and is thus known as West Virginia Route 43 (WV 43), Pennsylvania Route 43 (PA 43), and PA Turnpike 43. Most of the route is maintained by the
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) is an agency created in 1937 to construct, finance, operate, and maintain the Pennsylvania Turnpike (both the mainline and the Northeast Extension). The commission consists of five members. Four membe ...
, while the
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) oversees transportation issues in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The administrator of PennDOT is the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, currently Yassmin Gramian. Presently, Pe ...
maintains small portions of the highway near Uniontown, and the West Virginia Division of Highways maintains the short section in West Virginia. Despite the numerous agencies overseeing the highway, it is one continuous highway. South of Jefferson Hills, the Mon–Fayette Expressway is complete. Construction to complete the highway to Duquesne is scheduled to begin in 2022, with plans existing to extend the road further to Monroeville.


Route description


West Virginia

The Mon–Fayette Expressway begins at a
diamond interchange A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road. Design The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
with
I-68 Interstate 68 (I-68) is a Interstate Highway in the US states of West Virginia and Maryland, connecting I-79 in Morgantown, West Virginia, to I-70 in Hancock, Maryland. I-68 is also Corridor E of the Appalachian Development Highway Syst ...
in Cheat Lake in Monongalia County,
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
, heading north as a four-lane freeway signed as WV 43. The highway passes near some residential development and comes to an interchange with Bowers Lane that provides access to County Route 857. Following this, WV 43 curves northeast and runs through forested areas, turning to the north.


Pennsylvania

The Mon–Fayette Expressway crosses the state line into
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, where it becomes PA Turnpike 43, which is maintained by the
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) is an agency created in 1937 to construct, finance, operate, and maintain the Pennsylvania Turnpike (both the mainline and the Northeast Extension). The commission consists of five members. Four membe ...
(PTC). The freeway heads through Springhill Township in Fayette County, passing through forested areas with some fields. The first interchange in the state is at Gans Road, which provides access to US 119 to the west and PA 857 to the east. Here, PA Turnpike 43 becomes a
toll road A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road (almost always a controlled-access highway in the present day) for which a fee (or ''Toll (fee), toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically ...
and continues northeast through more rural areas, where it crosses into Georges Township and comes to a diamond interchange with Rubles Mill Road that accesses PA 857 a short distance to the east. Past this interchange, the highway comes to the Fairchance mainline toll plaza before it curves north and then northwest. The route passes to the west of an industrial park before reaching an interchange with Big Six Road which provides access to US 119 and PA 857. At this point, the Mon–Fayette Expressway becomes toll-free and maintained by the
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) oversees transportation issues in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The administrator of PennDOT is the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, currently Yassmin Gramian. Presently, Pe ...
(PennDOT), signed as PA 43. The roadway continues through farmland and woodland as it bypasses Fairchance to the west. Farther north, PA 43 comes to an interchange with US 119 and the northern terminus of PA 857, at which point the road becomes US 119. PA 43 continues as an unsigned concurrency with US 119 for around Uniontown, with a sign saying that PA 43 traffic should follow signs for US 119 through Uniontown. A short distance later, US 119 and the unsigned PA 43 cross together into South Union Township and reach an interchange with the US 40 freeway, at which point US 40 merges with US 119 and the unsigned PA 43, joining the concurrency. The three routes bypass Uniontown to the west on the freeway, running between farmland and woods to the west and residential neighborhoods to the east. The highway comes to a diamond interchange with Walnut Hill Road, where it curves northwest and passes near more homes. US 40/US 119/unsigned PA 43 curves northeast and reaches a
trumpet interchange In the field of road transport, an interchange (American English) or a grade-separated junction (British English) is a road junction that uses grade separations to allow for the movement of traffic between two or more roadways or highways, usi ...
providing access to PA 21 in a commercial area. A short distance later, the freeway comes to an interchange with the western terminus of US 40 Business, at which point US 40 splits to the northwest. US 119 and the unsigned PA 43 continue northeast on the freeway into North Union Township, where they run between rural areas to the northwest and residential areas to the southeast. The unsigned concurrency ends as PA Turnpike 43, again a toll road maintained by the PTC, splits from US 119 at an interchange that also serves PA 51. The Mon–Fayette Expressway heads northwest through rural areas with some nearby development. The highway reaches a diamond interchange with Old Pittsburgh Road which provides connections to US 40 and PA 51. Past this interchange, the tollway crosses into Menallen Township and runs through a mix of farmland and woodland. Farther northwest, PA Turnpike 43 comes to an interchange at Keisterville-Upper Middletown Road, which provides access to US 40 to the southwest. The Mon–Fayette Expressway enters Redstone Township, where it reaches the Redstone mainline toll plaza. The highway continues northwest through rural land and comes to a diamond interchange with US 40. Following this, the toll road heads northwest through rural areas to the south of Brownsville, crossing the Dunlap Creek into Luzerne Township. Here, PA Turnpike 43 reaches the Telegraph Road exit and curves to the northwest. The Mon–Fayette Expressway crosses the
Monongahela River The Monongahela River ( , )—often referred to locally as the Mon ()—is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 15, 2011 river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-cen ...
on the
Mon–Fayette Expressway Bridge The Mon–Fayette Expressway Bridge, officially known as the PFC. Ronald C. "Smokey" Bakewell Bridge, is a high-level, girder bridge that carries vehicular traffic across the Monongahela River between Luzerne Township in Fayette County, Pennsylva ...
into Centerville in Washington County, where it curves north and comes to an interchange with PA 88. At this point, the road becomes toll-free again, though still owned by the PTC and signed PA Turnpike 43. PA 88 also joins the freeway for a short concurrency, with the road heading northeast through forested areas. The highway comes to a cloverleaf interchange with US 40, at which point PA 88 splits to the east to follow US 40 and PA Turnpike 43 continues northeast on the Mon–Fayette Expressway, entering
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
. The road continues through fields and woods, reaching an interchange with Malden Road that provides access to PA 88 Truck. The tollway continues north through dense woodland, bypassing the center of California to the west. The median widens as the highway comes to the exit for Elco Hill Road, after which it once again becomes a toll road. The median narrows again as PA Turnpike 43 curves northwest and comes to the California mainline toll plaza. A short distance later, the Mon–Fayette Expressway enters Fallowfield Township and comes to a cloverleaf interchange serving
I-70 Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a park and ride lot just east of I-695 in Baltimore, Maryland, and is the fifth-longest Interstate in the c ...
. Past this interchange, the toll road winds north through more woodland and reaches a diamond interchange at Coyle Curtain Road, which provides access to the communities of Charleroi and Donora to the east. PA Turnpike 43 heads into Carroll Township and makes a sharp curve to the west, continuing through more rural areas. The tollway curves north again near a mine and comes to the PA 136 exit. The Mon–Fayette Expressway crosses the Mingo Creek Viaduct into Union Township and continues north through wooded areas with some fields and mines. Farther north, the highway comes to a diamond interchange serving Finleyville-Elrama Road. Past this interchange, PA Turnpike 43 curves to the northeast. The tollway enters Jefferson Hills in Allegheny County, where it continues through more rural areas. The toll road reaches the Jefferson Hills mainline toll plaza and continues northeast, with the median widening and the road narrowing to one lane in each direction as it comes to a bridge over PA 51. The Mon–Fayette Expressway continues a short distance to its current northern terminus, where the traffic lanes turn west as Jefferson Boulevard and head to PA 51.


Tolls

The Mon–Fayette Expressway is a toll road for most of its length, and utilizes
all-electronic tolling Open road tolling (ORT), also called all-electronic tolling, cashless tolling, or free-flow tolling, is the collection of tolls on toll roads without the use of toll booths. An electronic toll collection system is usually used instead. The ma ...
using
toll-by-plate Video tolling (sometimes referred to as video billing, toll by plate, pay by mail, or pay by plate) is a form of electronic toll collection, which uses video or still images of a vehicle's license plate to identify a vehicle liable to pay a road ...
(which uses
automatic license plate recognition Automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR; see also other names below) is a technology that uses optical character recognition on images to read vehicle registration plates to create vehicle location data. It can use existing closed-circuit tel ...
to take a photo of the vehicle's license plate and mail a bill to the vehicle owner) or E-ZPass. Unlike the Pennsylvania Turnpike mainline and the Northeast Extension, which uses long-distance tickets, the Mon–Fayette Expressway collects fixed tolls at regular intervals. In addition, auxiliary toll plazas exist on certain on- and off-ramps. In 2008, the PTC retrofitted all toll plazas to accept E-ZPass, and Express E-ZPass lanes are available at the newer toll plazas. The Mon–Fayette Expressway has four mainline toll barriers located in Fairchance, Redstone, California, and Jefferson Hills. , the Fairchance and California barriers charge $4.10 using toll-by-plate and $1.70 using E-ZPass for passenger vehicles while the Redstone and Jefferson Hills barriers charge $5.00 using toll-by-plate and $2.50 using E-ZPass for passenger vehicles. There are also ramp toll plazas at the northbound exit and southbound entrances at exit 4, 15, and 18, the southbound exit and northbound entrance at exits 22 and 26, and the northbound exit and southbound entrance at exits 39, 44, and 48. The ramp tolls cost $3.00 using toll-by-plate and $1.30 using E-ZPass for passenger vehicles. All-electronic tolling was planned to be implemented on the Mon–Fayette Expressway, along with the remainder of the Pennsylvania Turnpike system, in the later part of 2021. However, in March 2020 the switch was made early as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. In West Virginia, legislators have flip-flopped a few times regarding whether their section will be a toll road. When tolls were first proposed, West Virginia had planned to work with the
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) is an agency created in 1937 to construct, finance, operate, and maintain the Pennsylvania Turnpike (both the mainline and the Northeast Extension). The commission consists of five members. Four membe ...
to collect tolls at the existing Pennsylvania mainline plaza, but this plan was not accepted by the
West Virginia Legislature The West Virginia Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of West Virginia. A bicameral legislative body, the legislature is split between the upper Senate and the lower House of Delegates. It was established under Article VI o ...
. Instead, West Virginia planned to construct a toll plaza north of Goodwin Hill Road. West Virginia officials also contemplated whether to use all-electronic tolling or a more traditional tolling scheme. In the end, tolling plans were scrapped by West Virginia's legislature. Rejection resulted from concerns related to camera enforcement, billing, and operational costs. However, West Virginia reserves the right to levy tolls in the future if these issues are settled.


History


Early history

The Mon–Fayette Expressway was originally proposed in the 1950s as a way to link the coke- and
steel Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...
-producing towns situated in the Monongahela River Valley, thus providing a supplement to existing rail and river passages. Running along the existing PA Route 48, the highway was initially referred to as “New 48” and right-of-way clearance began in the early 1970s. PennDOT initiated construction in 1973, and the first segment opened in 1977. This segment consisted of a partial cloverleaf interchange at U.S. Route 40 and a stretch of four-lane highway that spurred south of the new interchange toward Fredericktown. Despite severe financial constraints, PennDOT built the remainder of the ramps at the U.S. 40 cloverleaf along with a separate stretch of highway near
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
in the early 1980s. Limited funding caused the project to be placed on hiatus in the early 1980s. During this time, the coke and steel industry that originally inspired the route experienced an economic downturn and near collapse. Rather than cancel the project, local leaders touted it as a means of stimulating the distressed economy; providing a link from the City of Pittsburgh to West Virginia along which manufacturing facilities and other industry could be located. The project was redesignated as the Mon–Fayette Expressway, a portmanteau of ''Mon''ongahela River Valley and ''Fayette'' County, two of the areas the new road would connect. The project was designed to be completed in phases with the most controversial segment, PA 51 to Pittsburgh, scheduled to be completed last.


Chadville Demonstration Project

In 1985, the Mon–Fayette Expressway project was transferred to the
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) is an agency created in 1937 to construct, finance, operate, and maintain the Pennsylvania Turnpike (both the mainline and the Northeast Extension). The commission consists of five members. Four membe ...
(PTC) under Act 61 legislation. While PennDOT assessed preliminary engineering and right-of-way options in the 1970s and early 1980s, the PTC accelerated design work and began unveiling detailed plans in earnest by the late 1980s. Funding appropriated through the PTC allowed construction to resume in 1988, and on October 12, 1990, the entire stretch from U.S. Route 40 to
Interstate 70 Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15, I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a park and ride lot just east of Interstate 695 (Maryland), I-695 in ...
opened to traffic. Initially, the PTC did not have adequate funding to construct new sections, but Representative Austin Murphy secured congressional funds that directed PennDOT to build a stretch of the expressway south of Uniontown. Aside from being part of a larger project, the new segment was designed to provide high speed access between the Uniontown bypass, Fairchance, and a new business park. This section, dubbed the Chadville Demonstration Project, opened in November 1992. The section of the highway from US 40 to I-70 was signed PA 43 Toll until 2000.Pennsylvania Highways: PA Turnpike 43
/ref>


Mason-Dixon Link

In the early 1990s, the Pennsylvania General Assembly dedicated a portion of state fuel excise tax revenue to the PTC. This new revenue stream initially provided the funding to complete an section from the southern terminus of the Chadville Demonstration Project to the West Virginia state line as well as a section from the Interstate 70 interchange to
Pennsylvania Route 51 Pennsylvania Route 51 (PA 51) is a major state highway in Western Pennsylvania. It runs for from Uniontown to the Ohio state line near Darlington, where it connects with Ohio State Route 14. PA 51 is the termination point for Pennsylvania ...
in Jefferson Hills. On March 1, 2000, most of the section between the Chadville Demonstration Project and the West Virginia state line opened to traffic.


J. Barry Stout Expressway

Named formally for the PA State Senator who pushed to expand the state's highway system, the J. Barry Stout Expressway segment connects Interstate 70 with Route 51. Construction began in 1995 and the entire segment from Interstate 70 to Route 51 was open by April 12, 2002. The Joe Montana Bridge, named after the
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quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
who grew up in the immediate area in nearby
Monongahela, Pennsylvania Monongahela, referred to locally as Mon City, is a third class city in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Pittsburgh, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is about south of Pittsburgh proper. The population was 4 ...
, is located along the route.


Uniontown-to-Brownsville

In 2006, construction began on a stretch connecting the oldest section of the expressway near Fredericktown to the northern terminus of the Chadville Demonstration Project. Known locally as the "Uniontown-to-Brownsville Project," limited funding necessitated a two-phased approach to completion. The first phase involved construction of an section of expressway running parallel to a hazardous stretch of U.S. Route 40 between Brownsville and Uniontown. Phase 1 opened on October 23, 2008. The second phase consisted of a section that connects first phase of this project to the oldest portion of the expressway near Fredericktown, as well as the
Mon–Fayette Expressway Bridge The Mon–Fayette Expressway Bridge, officially known as the PFC. Ronald C. "Smokey" Bakewell Bridge, is a high-level, girder bridge that carries vehicular traffic across the Monongahela River between Luzerne Township in Fayette County, Pennsylva ...
crossing the Monongahela River. Additionally, the second phase includes a directional T interchange at U.S. Route 119 in Uniontown. On December 13, 2010, the U.S. 119 interchange opened to traffic, and the remainder of Phase 2 opened with a
soft launch A soft launch, also known as a soft opening, is a preview release of a product or service to a limited audience prior to the general public. Soft-launching a product is sometimes used to gather data or customer feedback, prior to making it widely ...
on July 16, 2012. A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on August 2, 2012. Completion of Phase 2 brought an uninterrupted stretch of highway between I-68 and the current northern terminus at
Pennsylvania Route 51 Pennsylvania Route 51 (PA 51) is a major state highway in Western Pennsylvania. It runs for from Uniontown to the Ohio state line near Darlington, where it connects with Ohio State Route 14. PA 51 is the termination point for Pennsylvania ...
in
Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania Jefferson Hills is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. It includes the community of Large. In the 2010 census the population was 10,619. Jefferson Hills was created as Jefferson Township, incorporating on January 22, 1828 ...
.


West Virginia Route 43

In West Virginia, construction commenced in 2000 but progressed slowly due to limited funding. By the end of 2003, only the Rubles Run Bridge and two pieces of highway totaling little more than were completed. Over the next few years, construction inched ahead. By 2009, the Morgan Run Bridge was finished, and local roads near Cheat Lake were re-built to accommodate the expressway. The final contracts to build the Cheat Lake and Interstate 68 interchanges were respectively awarded in December 2008 and July 2009, partly as a result of an ARRA fund infusion. On July 11, 2011, officials in West Virginia opened their section of the Mon–Fayette Expressway. Likewise, the PTC opened the southernmost in Pennsylvania, which sat unused for over a decade. Noteworthy features on the West Virginia section include two high-level bridges, along with the I-68 interchange, which is a hybrid design that utilizes both high-speed ramps and at-grade intersections. A second phase for this interchange is planned, but that project will not be undertaken until traffic volumes merit. If the second phase is built, the I-68 interchange will be upgraded to a directional T.


Future

The remaining of highway in Allegheny County between PA 51 and I-376 has yet to be constructed. After a review of several alternative alignments designated by colors (green, yellow, orange, and blue), a series of public meetings hosted by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission sought feedback from residents likely affected by the expressway's construction. The preferred route was identified as running parallel to PA 837 through the communities of Clairton and Duquesne, crossing over the Monongahela River near
Kennywood Park Kennywood is an amusement park located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, just southeast of Pittsburgh. The park opened on May 30, 1899, as a trolley park attraction at the end of the Mellon family's Monongahela Street Railway. It was purchased in 1 ...
, and then continuing along the northern side of the river through Braddock, Rankin, and
Glen Hazel Glen Hazel is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's east city area. It has both zip codes of 15207 and 15217, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by Corey O'Connor. The neighborhood is located on a hilltop along the Monongahe ...
, finally connecting to I-376 at
Oakland Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...
. A western spur would be located near the crossing and continue north through Turtle Creek and Monroeville to I-376 in Wilkins. The addition of the spur allows for an alternative to I-376 that would bypass the often congested
Squirrel Hill Tunnel The Squirrel Hill Tunnel is a tunnel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It serves as an eastern gateway to the city for I-376 and was completed in 1953 after 8 years of construction and at a cost of US$18 million. At the time of openin ...
. The western spur would have continued the PA Turnpike 43 routing while the eastern spur would have continued the PA Turnpike 576 routing from the routes' planned junction approximately south of Finleyville Elrama Road. Kennywood acquired nearly of property for a potential expansion of the park on the condition that the leg to Monroeville is built. After environmental clearances were obtained and right-of-way acquisition had begun, the project was placed on hold due to lack of funding. Current estimates for this section are in the neighborhood of $3.6 billion and funding has not been identified. A public-private partnership was explored but nothing feasible resulted. It is unlikely that any new construction will commence in the near future unless a new tax is imposed or private funding identified, although funding was secured for the section of PA Turnpike 576 in between Interstate 79 and its current eastern terminus at US 22, bringing hope for an eventual completion of the Mon–Fayette Expressway. In July 2013, the Allegheny County portion of the expressway was again the subject of news articles indicating that a change in approach may be taken. This revised approach would allow for completion of the expressway to Monroeville. The spur to Pittsburgh would not be constructed but rather the East Busway would be extended to Monroeville to allow for
park and ride A park and ride, also known as incentive parking or a commuter lot, is a parking lot with public transport connections that allows commuting, commuters and other people heading to city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, Rail t ...
into downtown Pittsburgh. Another option currently being considered is to open the Busway to
high-occupancy vehicle A high-occupancy vehicle lane (also known as an HOV lane, carpool lane, diamond lane, 2+ lane, and transit lane or T2 or T3 lanes) is a restricted traffic lane reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles with a driver and one or more passengers, i ...
(HOV) traffic. In May 2013, a raise in the oil tax cap in Pennsylvania was proposed in the
Pennsylvania General Assembly The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times (1682–1776), the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania ...
to fund additional transportation projects, including completing the Mon–Fayette Expressway and the Southern Beltway, as part of a larger transportation bill to help fund projects in the state. Pennsylvania Governor
Tom Corbett Thomas Wingett Corbett Jr. (born June 17, 1949) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 46th governor of Pennsylvania from 2011 to 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he served as Attorney General of Pennsylvania from 1995 ...
signed a modified version of the bill into law, known as Act 89, on November 25, 2013, after much debate in the General Assembly that nearly killed the bill before it was passed. Act 89, which local politicians acknowledged that without passage would have killed the remaining segments of the Mon–Fayette Expressway, is expected to provide funding to complete the Southern Beltway all the way to the Mon–Fayette Expressway and provide a little less than half of the $2.2 billion (as of December 2013) needed to complete the Mon–Fayette Expressway, as well as the option for P3 funding. It was also acknowledged that like the Uniontown-to-Brownsville Project, the final leg may be built in multiple phases in order to preserve funding for other projects in the state. The second leg of the Southern Beltway, which will proceed in construction as had already been announced, will be the first portion of the two highways that will be built with the new funding available, with a planned opening to I-79 in 2019. In December 2014, it was reported that the Mon–Fayette Expressway and the Southern Beltway might get additional funding through
foreign investors Investment is the dedication of money to purchase of an asset to attain an increase in value over a period of time. Investment requires a sacrifice of some present asset, such as time, money, or effort. In finance, the purpose of investing is ...
who obtain an
EB-5 visa The United States EB-5 visa, ''employment-based fifth preference category'' or ''EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Program'', created in 1990 by the Immigration Act of 1990, provides a method for eligible Immigrant investor programs, immigrant investo ...
in exchange for investing at least $500,000 for public projects. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will use EB-5 funding for the
Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project The Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project is an ongoing road construction project to build an interchange where Interstate 95 (I-95) crosses the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Bristol Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in the Uni ...
first before determining if it will use such funding for other projects. On June 18, 2015, the PTC announced that the segment for the Mon–Fayette Expressway from Jefferson Hills to Monroeville will receive some Act 89 funding and will return to the design phase. The other leg of the Mon–Fayette Expressway into Pittsburgh was officially canceled outright, citing cost and local opposition. It is currently unclear whether this road will be designated PA Turnpike 43 or PA Turnpike 576. In March 2018, the PTC released its plans for the expressway from PA 51 in Jefferson Hills to PA 837 in Duquesne. This section is currently in the final design phase , with construction expected to begin in 2024. Construction on the section of the expressway between PA 837 in Duquesne and I-376 in Monroeville is expected to follow, but may be delayed due to funding shortfalls resulting from the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. In May 2019 a proposal was made for an expressway to run from the Mon–Fayette Expressway to PA 885 near the Glenwood Bridge. In March 2021, a PTC engineer said that preliminary work on the Mon–Fayette Expressway from Jefferson Hills to PA 837 would begin after the projected completion of the Southern Beltway later that year. The PTC was in the process of acquiring 256 land lots in the Mon–Fayette Expressway's right-of-way, including condemning some land in
West Mifflin, Pennsylvania West Mifflin is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, located southeast of downtown Pittsburgh. The population was 20,313 at the 2010 census. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, 1st Governor of Pennsylvania, signer of the Un ...
, that belonged to
Kennywood Kennywood is an amusement park located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, just southeast of Pittsburgh. The park opened on May 30, 1899, as a trolley park attraction at the end of the Mellon family's Monongahela Street Railway. It was purchased in 1 ...
amusement park. In June 2021, PTC officials told Pennsylvania state legislators that construction on the section to Duquesne could begin as early as 2022. The first construction contract to build the section between PA 51 and Coal Valley Road in Jefferson Hills is expected to be awarded by the end of 2022 while construction on the portion of road from Coal Valley Road to Camp Hollow Road in West Mifflin is expected to begin in 2023. Work on the segment to Duquesne was projected to continue through 2027.


Exit list


Related roads

In the 1990s, the Mon–Fayette Expressway project was expanded to include another highway, the Southern Beltway. The Southern Beltway is planned to be a high-speed east–west link between the Mon–Fayette Expressway,
Interstate 79 Interstate 79 (I-79) is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from I-77 in Charleston, West Virginia, north to Pennsylvania Route 5 (PA 5) and PA 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania. It is a primary thoroughfare ...
,
U.S. Route 22 U.S. Route 22 (US 22) is a west–east route and is one of the original United States highways of 1926, running from Cincinnati, Ohio, at US 27, US 42, US 127, and US 52 to Newark, New Jersey, at U.S. Route 1/9 in the Newark Airport Interchange ...
,
Interstate 376 Interstate 376 (I-376) is a major auxiliary route of the Interstate Highway System in the US state of Pennsylvania, located within the Allegheny Plateau. It runs from I-80 near Sharon south and east to a junction with the Pennsylvania T ...
, and
Pittsburgh International Airport Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh International Airport, is a civil–military international airport in Findlay Township and Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Located about 10 miles (15 km) west of downtown Pittsbur ...
. A section of the beltway between Pittsburgh International Airport/Interstate 376 and U.S. Route 22 opened to traffic in 2006. The new road has been designated as
Pennsylvania Route 576 Pennsylvania Route 576 (PA Turnpike 576), also known as the Southern Beltway, is a tolled freeway in the southern and western suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is envisioned to serve as a southern beltway around ...
. A section between U.S. 22 and I-79 is expected to be open by 2021, with the third section being between I-79 and a section of the Mon–Fayette Expressway near
Finleyville, Pennsylvania Finleyville is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, named for John Finley. The population was 375 at the 2020 census. It was built at the junction of Brownsville Road (now Pennsylvania Route 88 ) and the 'Washington Road ...
just south of the current northern terminus. In order to provide access to certain interchanges within the Uniontown-to-Brownsville project, the PTC had to build several toll-free connectors, the most notable of which extended a four-lane section of U.S. Route 40 near Brownsville, eliminating a forty-year-old freeway stub in the process. Near Uniontown, the PTC constructed a four-lane road, named Northgate Highway, between U.S. Route 40 and Pennsylvania Route 51. In addition, a new connector was added to join Telegraph Road and Bull Run Road in Luzerne Township, potentially opening many acres of land to future development. The aforementioned access roads were necessary to provide access to exits 22, 15, and 26 respectively, but these routes were also designed to improve local connections and accommodate any future economic development in the interchanges' immediate vicinity.


See also

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References


External links

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Pennsylvania Highways: PA 43
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission * (May 10, 2006)
Mon/Fayette Expressway, Uniontown to Brownsville ProjectPA Route 51 to I-376 of the Mon Fayette Expressway
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mon-Fayette Expressway Toll roads in Pennsylvania Limited-access roads in Pennsylvania Transportation in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Transportation in Washington County, Pennsylvania Transportation in Fayette County, Pennsylvania Transportation in Monongalia County, West Virginia Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission