After logging more than 1,700 crashes in just four years, four southwestern Butler County communities are teaming up to calm some of the region's fastest, most crash-prone roads. Cranberry Township, Jackson Township, Zelienople Borough, and Harmony Borough are moving ahead with a multi-municipal safety action plan that targets dangerous stretches for drivers, walkers, and cyclists. The draft study spotlights five priority projects, including a new four-way intersection at Lutz Road and Route 19, several roundabouts, and a slate of pedestrian upgrades in town centers.
The draft plan, released in February, pegs the total cost of the five priority projects at about $49.3 million. The largest package is an estimated $21.45 million in safety work along Gudekunst and Zehner School roads, plus a new connection at Lutz Road and Route 19, as reported by Butler Eagle. Other big-ticket items include a $6.52 million four-leg roundabout at Evans City Road and Main Street in Harmony, a $2.29 million pedestrian “living street” at Main and Mercer, and roughly $9 million packages of pedestrian improvements along Route 68 in Zelienople and Powell Road in Cranberry. The figures come from draft public-review documents released as part of the Southwest Butler Multi-Municipal Safety Action Plan.
People who work along the corridor say you do not need a traffic study to know Route 19 has problems. Mike Meredith, whose family runs Meredith's Batteries on Route 19 near Lutz Road, told WPXI that "We’ve been in here in this location for 36 years and we have seen many, many horrible accidents over the years," and he said he recently watched two cars "race down Route 19."
Funding and next steps
The planning effort is backed by federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) funding and led by consultants including AECOM and Kimley-Horn, according to project materials on the Cranberry Township website. Local officials say adopting the draft plan is only an early milestone. Full engineering work, grant applications, and permitting all have to happen before construction can begin, so there is no firm timeline yet.
Local data and public input
The draft safety analysis counted 1,739 crashes in the four-municipality study area from 2019 to 2023. That total includes 13 fatalities in Cranberry and dozens of serious injuries, as reported by Butler Eagle. Public outreach for the plan drew more than 400 location-specific comments and a community survey, which helped shape the list of top-priority projects, according to the plan's fact sheet and engagement materials. Municipal leaders say the finished plan should help the region compete for implementation grants if the engineering estimates and funding opportunities line up.
How to weigh in
Residents who want to flag problem spots or study the proposed project maps can use the interactive tools and survey on the project engagement site. Officials say wrapping up the plan will position the four communities to chase implementation grants from state and federal programs.
