The controversial interchange is heading towards a redesign.
On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission selected Chicago-based Alfred Benesch and Company to redesign the Breezewood Interchange in Bedford County.
The interchange is a 3-mile forced detour between two interstate highways that has become a controversial roadway.
The stretch of traffic lights that travelers must pass through between the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Interstate 70 has been a subject of debate, and will finally be redesigned by the Chicago firm.
The redesign will include reconstruction and widening of the roadway between mileposts 160 and 63 to allow vehicles to bypass Breezewood altogether.
The interchange has been a location of congestion for years, with nearly 3 million people entering the turnpike at Breezewood in 2022, according to the Turnpike Commission.
Construction plans for the redesign could include support for an ongoing regional effort to renovate the TOPP Trail, an 8½-mile stretch of the turnpike in the Breezewood area that is owned by the Bedford-Fulton Joint Recreation Authority.
The nonprofit was formed in 2018 to redevelop the abandoned road under the Fulton County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism. The renovation could increase revenue for Breezewood.
The nonprofit recently secured a grant of over $350,000 from the Appalachian Regional Commission for the project and applied for additional state funding. It also met with the Turnpike Commission to discuss its plans for the trail, which include renovating surfaces and tunnels while also creating space for music events and outdoor activities.
The Chicago-based firm spearheading the redesign of the interchange is now entering the preliminary design phase, during which it will engage with the community about the project.
Alfred Benesch and Company has designed major roadways in Nebraska, Kansas, and North Dakota. The firm has offices in Pottsville and Cranberry, which it will utilize for the project.
The Turnpike Commission issued a statement, saying the firm was selected due to its “significant relevant experience”, among other factors.
The Chicago-based firm was chosen out of thirteen firms that submitted bids to lead the redesign. A team of experts from the Turnpike Commission’s engineering, environmental, traffic operations, and communications departments evaluated the proposals and ultimately landed on Benesch.
Alfred Benesch and Company vice president, Edward Bosack III, said, “The Breezewood Interchange project was a natural fit for Benesch because our values align with the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s. We’re proud to work alongside them to provide transportation solutions that improve infrastructure, connections and communities. We look forward to engaging local stakeholders on this project to better serve the greater Breezewood area and commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”
According to the Turnpike Commission, it takes an average of eight to ten years from seeking a designer to the start of construction.
