MERCER COUNTY — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said Monday Mercer County nabbed $10.7 million for highway and other improvements under the federal stimulus package.

The measure recently passed by Congress includes funds for roads, bridges and other public works projects will be released to stimulate the economy. Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Pennsylvania snared $1.4 billion for projects throughout the state.

In breaking it down further, PennDOT’s six-county region which comprises Mercer County got $54 million for projects under the program.

“Without the stimulus funds we would not have been able to do these projects this year,’’ said Deborah Casadei, a PennDOT spokeswoman. “The majority of these projects will be finished this construction season which usually ends in November.’’

Other highway and bridge projects were announced by PennDOT on Monday under its regular construction project list. Under this list Mercer County will have $34.2 million of work completed over the next two years. While much of the work can be done this year, bids still have to go out for these projects.

By far the biggest ticket of those projects is the $24.25 bridge replacement and rehabilitation in Sharon on South Dock Street and state Route 60 over the Shenango River and railroad tracks. This bridge replacement will take more than a year to complete.

“This is going to be an extremely busy construction season,’’ Casadei said. “We’re going to have lots of bridge and paving work.’’



Stimulus projects

Stimulus transportation projects in the county are:

• U.S. Route 62 highway restoration from Franklin Road to Main Street in Jackson Township and Jackson Center. Cost: $3 million.

• Various resurfacing projects on Routes 62, 19, 58, state Routes 1002 and 1028 in Coolspring, Fairview, French Creek, Greene, Perry and Sandy Creek Townships and Fredonia, Jamestown and Sheakleyville. Cost: $2.6 million.

• Various resurfacing projects of Routes 18, 2005 and 4019 in Greenville, along with Pine, Hempfield, Sugar Grove and Salem Townships. Cost: $1.652 million.

• Various replacements of railroad crossing pavement markers on a number of sites throughout the county. Cost: $65,000.

• Resurfacing of Interstate 80 from the Ohio border to 15 miles inside Mercer County which will cover Shenango, Lackawannock and East Lackawannock townships. Cost: $2.4 million.

• Restoration and resurfacing of Keel Ridge Road in Shenango Township and Hermitage. Cost: $1 million.



Construction projects

In addition to construction under the federal stimulus program, other projects under for Mercer County are:

• Replacement of Hope Mills Road Bridge on state Route 258 over Pine Run in Findley Township. Cost: $1 million.

• Replacement of the Milledgeville Bridge on state Route 173 over North Deer Creek in French Creek Township. Cost: $1.25 million.

• Replacement of the Route 4021 Bridge over Hollow Run in Sugar Grove Township. Cost: $500,000.

• Replacement of the Wolf Creek Bridge on Route 173 over Wolf Creek in Worth Township. Cost: $1.622 million.

• Replacement of the state Route 158 Bridge over the Little Neshannock Creek in Wilmington Township. Cost: $1.622 million.

• Replacement of the Route 3007 Bridge over Little Neshannock Creek in Lackawannock Township. Cost: $300,000

• Replacement of the Kinsman Road Bridge No. 2 on Route 58 over a branch of Sugar Creek in Greene Township. Cost: $702,000

• Replacement of the Route 158 bridge over the west branch of Little Neshannock Creek in Wilmington Township. Cost: $1.622 million.

• Improvement of the Trout Island Trail from Mercer Avenue in Sharpsville to the north of Trout Island Road parking lot in South Pymatuning Township. Includes construction of pedestrian and bike trail. Cost: $180,000

• Replacement of the Route 258 Bridge over Nelson Run in Springfield Township. Cost: $200,000.

• Walnut Streetscape in Sharpsville which includes retaining wall with sidewalks. Cost: $260,000

• Rehabilitation of the Route 2028 Bridge over Wolf Creek in Liberty Township. Cost: $300,000

• Preservation work of the Route 3009 Bridge over Little Neshannock Creek on Backwalter Road in Lackawannock Township. Cost: $400,000