Atherton Street construction to resume as phase heads into what should be its final year
The reconstruction of Atherton Street is scheduled to resume Monday, a $30.7 million project heading into what is expected to be its final year.
Cutting is set to begin Monday between West Irvin Avenue and Center Lane, the state Transportation Department wrote in a news release Thursday. Work is scheduled to occur between 9 a.m and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday to minimize traffic heading to and from State College Area High School.
Pipe is scheduled to be installed beginning 6 p.m. March 3 in the Westerly Parkway intersection. PennDOT expects the work to continue round-the-clock until 5 p.m. March 8.
Crews are also expected to install waterline beginning March 4 between White Course Drive and Railroad Avenue. PennDOT said it’s pushing the “aggressive” schedule because Penn State and State High are on spring break the week of March 4.
“The goal is to accomplish as much work during this window as possible to minimize traffic impacts on student commuters for the rest of the school year,” PennDOT wrote.
The two-plus year PennDOT project seeks to improve the road, drainage network, water and sewer lines, concrete curbing, sidewalks, traffic signals and more between Curtin Road to just north of Westerly Parkway. It’s expected to be completed by November.
Work is being completed by HRI, Inc.
PennDOT has said it 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.
PennDOT is working through preliminary designs for the next phase of Atherton construction, which is tentatively expected to bid in the back half of 2029.
Work between Westerly Parkway — where the current project ends — and University Drive would be similar to previous phases. No budget was provided during a Borough Council meeting earlier this month, but a project manager said it would like cost “as much, if not more” than the current phase.
No other phases are currently planned, but PennDOT spokesman Tim Nebgen did not rule out other projects.
“We are in regular contact with the municipalities and the regional planning organizations to assess their transportation infrastructure needs and won’t rule out the possibility for any future projects along Atherton Street should the situation be warranted,” he wrote.