PennDOT is rolling out the blueprint for the East State Street facelift in Sharon, and the locals are getting a look-see online. An upgrade is cooking for Route 518, stretching from North Sharpsville Avenue down to North Oakland Avenue and a nib from Pine Street. They're splashing federal cash on this, and a Surface Transportation Urban Grant from last year stuffed the coffers.
Prepping sidewalks and curb cuts to play nice with ADA, alongside some green additions, is on the bill—also, they're tackling the rain problem with extra drainage, with the whole shebang slated for the '24 and '25 building seasons. The plan is PennDOT's not looking to send drivers on a wild goose chase with detours but to be ready for a bit of a squeeze-in during drive-time. Flagged traffic is a possibility while the hammers are swinging. Meanwhile, folks on foot will be nudged around the construction dance.
If you're itching to peek at what's cooking, hit up PennDOT District 1's website, dig into the handout, check the design plans, and drop your two cents in the online comment box. All this before May 6. Those who can't get online can buzz Project Manager Kyle Barker or give him a ring at 814-678-7166 for the word.
This isn't just a "take it or leave it" show—PennDOT's all ears for whatever the public wants to throw at them: worries, cheers, you name it. It's also a shot to give the thumbs up or down on how the fix-up might shake hands or step on the toes of the town's old digs. They're keeping in line with the feds' way of doing stuff, specifically the nifty rules around historical hotspots, stamped by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's 36 CFR Part 800.
