MEYERSDALE, Pa. (WJAC) — It’s been a decades-long road for Somerset County leaders to get Route 219 as a four-lane highway completely through the county.
Right now, that four-lane highway ends in Meyersdale where the road continues on a six-mile windy stretch to the Maryland border as a two-lane road.
Now they’re hoping to complete that.
Federal and county leaders celebrated Tuesday the $53 million of federal money that has been set aside to be used for planning, environmental regulation costs, and other pre-construction work like buying land rights, to connect the end of the four-lane expressway in Meyersdale, connect with Maryland’s four-lane Route 219 to Interstate 68.
The project of completing the thoroughfare as a four-lane has been in talks for decades. The stretch north of Meyersdale to Somerset was completed in 2018.
Now, this is a big step brought forward for the rest of that stretch through the federal bipartisan infrastructure bill, toward getting the full $250 million needed to then proceed with construction. One that promises to bring better access for businesses and residents of Somerset County and beyond.
“Rural communities can’t be left behind when Washington makes determinations when it comes to funding,” Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., said. “The people of this county, the people of this region deserve the investment in 219 and it’s long overdue.”
Even if the project stays on time, it’s not expected to be completed until 2031.
More information on the project can be found here.
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