PennDOT laid out three recommendations for the State College Area Connector project, all of which are in the existing U.S. Route 322 corridor, skipping the three Route 144 corridor options that had been considered.
PennDOT had been reviewing nine possible routes for the project, which is meant to alleviate truck and car traffic, connect traffic with interstates 99 and 80, and improve safety in the section of Route 322 that runs between Potters Mills and Boalsburg.
The three alternatives PennDOT is recommending for further study are:
U.S. 322-1 Existing (OEX)
U.S. 322-1 South
U.S. 322-5
According to the information PennDOT presented with the announcement Thursday, the U.S. Route 322 options would cut truck traffic on local road networks by 72% and cut total traffic on local roads by 53%. That's compared to the Route 144 corridor options, which would only cut traffic on local roads by 43% and truck traffic by 56%.
The total estimated cost of the project falls between $432 million and $517 million, depending on the option chosen. The options all fall in the Route 322 area, although they vary in places.
PennDOT has tentatively scheduled two public meetings on the plans for the evenings of Oct. 19 and 20 at the Mount Nittany Middle School in Boalsburg.
According to PennDOT's timeline, construction could be completed in 2033.
