Published by: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, District 1

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s (PennDOT) northwest District 1 announced today the preferred alternatives for the Bayfront Parkway Central Corridor Improvement Project in the City of Erie.

The purpose of the project, which is focused on the intersections with Sassafras Street Extension, State Street, and Holland Street, is to improve the pedestrian, bicycle, transit, and passenger vehicle connections between the Erie Central Business District and adjacent neighborhoods to the waterfront property north of the Bayfront Parkway, to reduce crashes on the parkway as much as practical, to decrease future congestion to an acceptable level of service or delay, and to increase traffic operations and efficiency.

The preferred alternatives for improvements along the Bayfront Parkway (Route 4034) include:

• Dual-lane roundabouts at Sassafras Street Extension and Holland Street;
• Grade-separated intersection at State Street, including a traditional signalized at-grade intersection and a path for through traffic on the Bayfront to travel below the intersection;
• Sidewalk and crosswalk upgrades throughout the length of the project;
• Multi-use trail connecting the existing trail network, downtown, and the waterfront; and
• Overhead pedestrian bridges at each intersection.

Other possible work planned in coordination with the Bayfront Parkway project include proposed vehicular and pedestrian improvements along the bluff to Water Works Road and the realignment of West Front Street being led by the Port of Erie; and privately maintained bridge near the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home.

The preferred alternatives were developed to take into account feedback gathered during public meetings held in December 2018 and August 2019, additional community outreach efforts, and numerous collaborations with local business and community stakeholders.

In collaboration with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) classification for the Bayfront Parkway Central Corridor Improvement Project has been reclassified from an Environmental Assessment (EA) to a Level 2 Categorical Exclusion Evaluation (CEE). The FHWA found the project, as proposed, will not either individually or cumulatively have any significant or adverse environmental impacts, and has provided approval for the project to be advanced as a Level 2 CEE.

In accordance with Governor Wolf’s COVID-19 mitigation efforts, public comment will be accepted online only. The public can continue to give feedback on the project by visiting www.BayfrontParkwayProject.com. Additional public involvement activities are expected to be held during later phases of the project.

Additional information on the project, including the comment form, can also be found online at www.penndot.gov/District1 by clicking on Bayfront Parkway Project under the Resources heading. Information can also be obtained through the PennDOT’s Bayfront Parkway Project Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/BayfrontParkwayProject.

Subscribe to PennDOT news in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties at www.penndot.gov/District1.

Follow PennDOT’s northwest region on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAErie or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/northwestregionpenndot.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jill Harry, 814-678-5035

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