Section Q20 Roundabouts
Latest News
2022 Construction Activity
Work is underway on the Route 981/Route 819 roundabout and the new realigned Route 981 between Hecla Road/State Street and the PA Turnpike. Construction crews are excavating for the new Route 981 alignment between Carpentertown Road and Walton's Lane. Work is ongoing for the 1.75-mile new alignment north of the PA Turnpike including relocation of Carpentertown Road and construction of a new Route 981/Boyer Road intersection. A new bridge will be constructed over Boyer Run.
Additional work will be underway throughout the year with limited traffic impacts.
Detours will be in place periodically throughout the construction season. Details about anticipated detours are shown below.
Route 981/Fieders Grove Road Detour
Timing: Late Summer 2022, 10-day duration
Purpose: Construction of new Route 981 alignment from Hecla Road to just north of the PA Turnpike.
Closure: Route 981 near Fiedors Grove Road and PA Turnpike Bridge
Detour Route:
- Fiedors Grove Road traffic will use Viking Drive and State Street.
- Route 981 Traffic will use Route 819, Route 31, Route 981, and Kecksburg Road.
Route 819 Southern Approach Detour
Timing: Late Summer 2022
Purpose: Prepare for construction of the Route 819 Roundabout with sanitary sewer work and construction of the box culvert carrying Shupe Run under the new roadway
Closure: Route 819 closed at the southern approach to the intersection
Detour Route:
- Passenger vehicles will use State Street and Route 981.
- Larger vehicles will use Routes 31 and 119.
Physical Construction Starts | December 6, 2021
Walsh Construction Company began physical construction on SR 981, Section Q20. Most of the work planned for the winter months was performed offline and no major traffic restrictions were expected.
Planned work included:
- demolition of residential structures acquired during the right-of-way process,
- clearing and grubbing for new alignment and widening areas, and
- placing erosion and sedimentation controls.
Motorists are urged to drive with caution throughout the project area and to be alert to the presence of construction workers and vehicles entering and existing the roadway.
Officials Break Ground for LVTIP | November 12, 2021
Dozens of federal, state, and local leaders gathered to celebrate the beginning of construction on the LVTIP corridor, after decades of discussion, planning, and design work. Elected officials at the state, county, and local levels joined PennDOT officials and other partners to ceremonially break ground and acknowledge the collaborate efforts of many leaders and stakeholders whose efforts made the improvements on the corridor a reality.
Project Contacts
Dominec A. Caruso, P.E.
Title: PennDOT Construction Manager
Phone: 724.439.7286
Email: dcaruso@pa.govJeffrey R. Miller
Title: PennDOT Project Manager
Phone: 724.849.0029
Fax: 724.849.0047
Email: jeffemille@pa.govProject Overview
SR 981, Section Q20 is approximately 4.5 miles and extends from the intersection of SR 981 and SR 819, just north of Mount Pleasant Borough, and ends near the intersection of SR 981 and SR 2023 in Norvelt, Mount Pleasant Township. Section Q20 primarily follows SR 981 with some offline shifts to improve the roadway.
Anticipated Schedule
On June 10, 2021, PennDOT advertised the Section Q20 plans for contractors to bid on. All bids were opened on July 29, 2021, and the construction contract was awarded to Walsh Construction Company in late Summer 2021.
Walsh Construction Company of Pittsburgh, PA was issued Notice to Proceed (NTP) by PennDOT on September 21, 2021, marking the official start of construction.
Construction of this project will take approximately three construction seasons. Check back later for more details.
Project Area Map
Learn more about the planned improvements for SR 981, Section Q20.
View MapGet the most current and relevant Pennsylvania traffic information on your smart phone with 511PA, brought to you by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).