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    District 1 Projects - Erie County

    I-79 Project (Mercer)

    Project Status

    Step 2 of 4

    Design

    Next Step:  Construction

    Public Outreach

    Virtual Plans Display

    ​The virtual plans display will be available online from January 12, 2026 through  January 26, 2026.. 

    Public Comment Period

    The public comment period, where the community is encouraged to respond with questions and concerns, will be from January 12, 2026 through  January 26, 2026. 

    Submit a Comment

    Project Overview

    County: Mercer
    Municipality: Findley and Jackson townships
    State Route: Interstate 79
    Local Name: I-79
    Project Type: Highway Restoration and Bridge Replacement
    MPMS Number: 116475
    Proposed Construction Start: 2027 
    Proposed Construction End: 2028
    Last Updated: 01/06/26

    This is a proposed project to resurface nearly three miles of Interstate 79 and replace the twin bridges in Findley and Jackson townships, Mercer County.

    Two bridges included in the plans are the northbound and southbound structures that carry I-79 over Scrubgrass Road (Route 2014), Mill Creek, and the Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad tracks. The existing four-span steel bridge will be replaced with a three-span steel bridge in the same location.

    The existing bridges were built in 1966 and are classified in fair condition. Approximately 11,000 vehicles a day use the bridges in each direction of I-79, on average.

    The proposed project includes milling and paving I-79 from approximately mile 117.3 to mile 120, approximately two miles south of the bridges and one mile north of the bridges. The plan also calls for upgrading the guiderail, new pavement markings, and drainage and sign updates.

    Traffic Impacts

    Plans call for I-79 traffic to be reduced to a single lane in each direction during bridge construction using temporary cross overs. The northbound bridge is scheduled to be completed first with the southbound bridge to follow.

    Traffic on Scrubgrass Road will to be detoured during certain activities on the bridges, such as demolition and beam erection. Work on the highway and the bridges is expected to occur during the 2027 and 2028 construction season.

    Contact Information

    Kyle Barker
    Project Manager
    814-678-7166
    kybarker@pa.gov

    Jill Harry
    Media Contact
    814-678-5035
    jharry@pa.gov

    Accessibility

    The project documents can be made available in alternative languages or formats if requested. If you need translation or interpretation services, have special needs, or have concerns that require individual attention, please contact the Project Manager listed above.

    Title VI

    Pursuant to the 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 PennDOT, Bureau of Equal Opportunity, DBE/Title VI Division at 717-787-5891.