Public Invited to Review, Comment on Draft Environmental Impact Statement for State College Area Connector

Project proposes to construct an eight-mile, four-lane limited access roadway on new alignment from the four-lane section of U.S. 322/Mount Nittany Expressway near Route 45 to U.S. 322 at Potters Mills.

Clearfield, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), announced that new draft materials for the State College Area Connector Project – which proposes to construct an eight-mile, four-lane limited access roadway on new alignment from the four-lane section on U.S. 322/Mounty Nittany Expressway near Route 45 to U.S. 322 at Potters Mills – are available at www.PennDOT.pa.gov/SCAC for review and public comment.

The public can review and comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and Draft Individual Section 4(f) evaluation during the 45-day period running Friday, March 6, through Monday, April 20. Copies of the DEIS and Draft Section 4(f) are also available for review at the following locations.

  • FHWA – PA Division; 30 North Third Street, Suite 700; Harrisburg, PA 17101; 717 221-3461; Office Hours: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM (Monday to Friday)
  • PennDOT Engineering District 2-0; 70 PennDOT Drive, Clearfield, PA 16830; 814-765-0400; Office Hours: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM (Monday to Friday)
  • Harris Township; 224 East Main Street, Boalsburg, PA 16827; 814-466-6228; Office Hours: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (Monday to Friday)
  • Potter Township; 124 Short Road, Spring Mills, PA 16875; 814-364-9176; Office Hours: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) 
  • Benner Township; 1224 Buffalo Run Road, Bellefonte, PA 16823; 814-355-1419; Office Hours: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM (Monday to Friday)
  • Centre Hall Borough; 134 North Hoffner Avenue, Centre Hall, PA 16801; 814-364-1772; Hours: 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM (Monday to Friday)
  • College Township; 1481 East College Avenue, State College, PA 16801; 814-231-3021 | Office Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Monday to Friday)
  • Centre County Metropolitan Planning Organization; 2643 Gateway Drive, Suite 4, State College, PA 16828; 814-231-3050 | Office Hours: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM (Monday to Friday)
  • Spring Township; 1309 Blanchard Street, Bellefonte, PA 16823; 814-355-7543 | Office Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Monday to Friday)
  • Centre County Government; 420 Holmes Street, Bellefonte, PA 16823; 814-355-6700 | Office Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Monday to Friday)
  • Centre Hall Library and Historical Museums; 109 West Beryl Street, Centre Hall, PA 16828; 814-364-2580 | Hours: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM (Monday, Wednesday and Friday); 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM (Tuesday and Thursday); 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM (Friday) 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM (Saturday)
  • Centre Hall Library and Historical Museums; 109 West Beryl Street, Centre Hall, PA 16828; 814-364-2580 | Hours: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM (Monday, Wednesday and Friday); 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM (Tuesday and Thursday); 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM (Friday); 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM (Saturday)

As part of the 45-day comment period, PennDOT and FHWA have scheduled a Public Hearing on the DEIS and Draft Section 4(f) for Tuesday, April 7, at the Calvary Church-Harvest Fields, 150 Harvest Fields Drive, Boalsburg, PA, 16827. Doors will open at 4:00 PM with the public hearing beginning at 5:00 PM. Private testimony will be accepted from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and public testimony will be accepted from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM.

Those providing verbal testimony either privately or publicly will be limited to five minutes speaking time. Private testimony will be made to a stenographer between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM and will function on a first-come, first-serve basis. Individuals may register to speak during the public testimony on the project website in advance or once they arrive to the hearing.

Written testimony will also be accepted by completing a comment form at the public hearing, by submitting it online through the project website, or through written letters or emails to PennDOT Engineering District 2; 70 PennDOT Drive; Clearfield, PA 16830; Attention Eric Murnyack; emurnyack@pa.gov.

The public hearing is being held in a facility that complies with requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and it is accessible to individuals who have disabilities. The project documents will be made available in alternative languages or formats if requested. If you need translation/interpretation services or have special needs or have special concerns that require individual attention, contact Eric Murnyack, PennDOT Project Manager at emurnyack@pa.gov or 814-765-0435.

Pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, PennDOT does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. If you feel that you have been denied the benefits of, or participation in a PennDOT program or activity, you may contact the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Equal Opportunity, DBE/Title VI Division at 717-787-5891 or 800-468-4201.

The State College Area Connector Project proposes to construct an eight-mile, four-lane limited access facility on new alignment from the four-lane section of US 322/Mount Nittany Expressway near Route 45 to US 322 at Potters Mills.

Drivers can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,200 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts.

Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.pa.gov/DOTprojects.

Subscribe to PennDOT news and find transportation results in Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Juniata, McKean, Mifflin, and Potter counties at www.pa.gov/DOTdistrict2.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Timothy Nebgen, tnebgen@pa.gov or 814-765-0598

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