Delays expected along State College’s Atherton Street. What that means for PSU football fans
With serious roadwork now underway in downtown State College — and with heavy construction equipment parked along a portion of Atherton Street — officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation met with the media Tuesday to discuss both the $30.7 million road project and future traffic delays.
Atherton Street, between College and Beaver avenues, will remain closed both ways through Sept. 6. But, fortunately for visitors and area residents, motorists shouldn’t face quite as many obstacles during Penn State’s home football season, which kicks off Sept. 10.
According to PennDOT construction manager Marc Maney, only single-lane closures are expected from the Wednesday after Labor Day through the rest of the year. No roadwork will take place on football weekends, although Maney couldn’t guarantee more than one lane in each direction on Atherton would remain open.
“As of right now — I’m not exactly sure how the rest of the summer is going to work — more than likely we’ll have at least have one lane in each direction open at all times,” he said.
In other words, even in a best-case scenario, expect varying delays.
The roadwork schedule, while subject to change, is already set through 2024. Construction, primarily sewer-line work, will continue on Atherton Street through December before crews take a winter break until March 2023. Drainage and repaving improvements will then take place from College Avenue to Fairmount Avenue, before shifting from Fairmount to just beyond Irvin Avenue through fall 2023. In 2024, the ends of the Atherton Street project will be addressed — Curtin Road to College Avenue; Irvin Avenue to Westerly Parkway — before finishing sometime in fall 2024.
Why do all this work anyway?
It’s a large project, to be sure — one that’s expected to last about two-and-a-half years and one that’s sure to force local motorists to buy Advil in bulk.
But, officials emphasized, the project is needed.
PennDOT identified a drainage system in serious need of an upgrade as far back as 2010. Some pipe was rusted out and needed to be replaced; otherwise, sinkholes and other unwanted consequences awaited. And, since PennDOT wanted to upgrade the drainage system, it figured it might as well work with the borough and university to do other simultaneous projects — such as sewer line upgrades — instead of doing one project after another.
If not done simultaneously, officials estimated roadwork would take nearly twice as long at closer to five years.
“It took until now that we could get everything put together and start the contract to get down through this area to replace those pipes,” Maney said. “But we figured since we had to get down here, we had to impact traffic and pedestrians, we worked with the borough and Penn State and others so we could do all this work simultaneously.”
Overall, the Atherton Street project includes improvements to the drainage network, roadway, concrete curbing, traffic signals and pedestrian crossings. State College Borough is also replacing the sewer lines and water lines.
Current roadwork / Why now?
If you’re wondering why PennDOT decided to close down the busiest road in State College on the same day of Penn State’s first day of classes, you’re not alone.
But that was never the original plan.
PennDOT initially planned to perform this part of the roadwork over the summer, before students’ fall move-in. But, due to supply-chain issues, materials that took a week to get last spring suddenly took at least nine weeks by last fall. And, Maney said, those delays have now increased up to nine months.
So PennDOT faced a decision: Delay the project, so it won’t be finished until 2025. Or start it the first week of school, so the roadwork that requires a full road closure would be finished in time for Penn State football’s home opener.
After talking to the borough and university, it opted for the latter — hence this week’s traffic detours and delays.
Until Sunday, Atherton Street — between College and Beaver avenues — will be closed “round-the-clock” in both directions. And, from Monday through Sept. 6, the same holds true, except the Beaver Avenue intersection will remain open.
Here are the official detours, although locals can obviously choose alternate routes:
- Atherton Street Detour: Park Avenue to University Drive, University Drive to Route 26, Route 26 to Route 322/Mount Nittany Expressway. Route 322/Mount Nittany Expressway to Route 3010 (Warner Boulevard).
- Beaver Avenue Detour: Route 45 to Route 322/Mount Nittany Expressway, Route 322/Mount Nittany Expressway to Route 26.
- Atherton Street Eastbound Detour: North Atherton Street to West College Avenue, West College Avenue to Buckhout Street, Buckhout Street to Beaver Avenue, Beaver Avenue to South Atherton Street.
- Atherton Street Westbound Detour: South Atherton Street to Beaver Avenue, Beaver Avenue to High Street, High Street to East College Avenue, East College Avenue to North Atherton Street.
Various pedestrian detours have also been implemented while contractor HRI Inc. performs the work. Although the primary crossing point remains at the intersections of Atherton/College and Atherton/Beaver, the pedestrian detours will be adjusted as needed.
Future delays, more info
Weekly updates and roadwork specifics will be published at penndot.gov/AthertonStreet to better alert the public on what areas to avoid and where to expect delays.
Drivers can also visit 511PA.com to check current roadway conditions. And both the borough and university should alert their respective communities of major changes.
