Meadville Tribune
Weather permitting, the permanent on-ramp from Meadville to Interstate 79 north is scheduled to open to traffic today. According to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, which announced the opening of the ramp Wednesday, motorists entering the newly-opened ramp are urged to slow down since work adjacent to the ramp will continue.
And a noted local streetscape artist is well on her way to making the I-79 interchange more eye-appealing.
Once the permanent northbound on-ramp is opened today, the contractor will start excavation, subbase and drainage operations in the passing lane. Excavation and subbase work also continues on the new ramp from Conneaut Lake to I-79 north.
All southbound on and off ramps will remain open as other work in the interchange continues.
The contractor is forming and placing concrete in the new bridge abutments on I-79 North. The existing concrete box culvert below Routes 6, 19 and 322 in the interchange area is being extended.
On the I-79 northbound lanes south of the interchange, the contractor is preparing to pave the passing lane.
Two northbound detours remain in effect. Detour for I-79 North to State Route 6 West: Take State Route 285 West at Exit 141 to State Route 19 North to Route 6 West.
Detour for State Route 6 East to I-79 North: Take State Route 98 North to State Route198 East to I-79 Exit 154.
For additional information, visit the Web site for the I-79 Meadville Interchange Projects: www.i79meadville.com/
Adding an artistic touch
PennDOT has partnered with Allegheny College to create an “Eco-Art” project that merges Earth art with Best Management Practices in the environmental mitigation of stormwater runoff in the ramp infield areas at the interchange.
Amara Geffen, an Allegheny College professor of art who also heads the college’s Center for Economic and Environmental Development, led the team in providing the designs. She is known for several local streetscape projects that include “flowers” and stylized scenes made from retired road signs, around at the PennDOT maintenance facility in Vernon Township (for which she won a state award); and large mural artwork placed in several sites in the City of Meadville.
Joseph B. Fay Co. from Russelton is the contractor constructing the environmental mitigation, which includes sculptural check dams, infiltration pools and earth mounds.
The check dams are being constructed of crushed concrete from the demolished bridges. The dams will reduce the concentrated stormwater flows and protect vegetation.
Additionally, portions of the old bridge decks were also, used and pieces can be seen stacked upon one another.
The pools of water are evidence of good mitigation already occurring. Additionally, the areas are seeded with wildflowers, warm season grasses, wetland seed mix and a variety of other native grasses.
This work can be seen in the ramp infield areas adjacent to the southbound interchange area. As construction continues on the new northbound bridge, stone abutments are being formed which will be stained with various colors to blend in with the overall bridge.
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