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STATE COLLEGE -- Field survey work to collect additional field information and data for the recommended preferred alternative of the State College Area Connector project began on Aug. 25, according to PennDOT.
PennDOT announced in a news release that it will use data collected during the surveys to refine alignment, complete permit applications, and develop final construction plans.
Survey crews will continue to work through the fall with most of the work taking place off the existing roadway.
PennDOT stated that there may be periods of intermittent flagging along Route 322, Route 45, and other roadways in the project area as crews complete surveys.
According to the PennDOT State College Area Connector website, the project area is about 3,905 acres which extends through the southern portion of Centre County and crosses Potter and Harris Townships; this area is centered on Route 322.
The project's estimated cost is $600 million to $900 million, according to a PennDOT spokesman in a Centre Daily Times interview.
This project previously changed course after a public meeting in May, as stated in a PennDOT release. The changes were made to the North Alternative and the Central (Recommended Preferred) Alternatives to reduce potential environmental impacts.
According to the release, the design team shifted a small segment of the Recommended Preferred Alternative south to minimize impacts on the Potter Township Athletic Complex and avoid directly impacting its baseball fields. The shift also reduces effects on a farming operation.
A minor adjustment to the North Alternative near Wagner Road relocated a proposed stormwater management facility to avoid impacting a historic property that contributes to the Penn/Brush Valley Rural Historic District, as stated by PennDOT.
There were no changes to the South Alternative.
Additional information on the State College Area Connector Project is available online at www.PennDOT.pa.gov/SCAC.