Governor Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll joined regional PennDOT, business, labor, and elected leaders to announce the start of a multi-year project to strengthen the connections between the City of Erie and the waterfront along a portion of Lake Erie by improving accessibility and safety for all users within the central corridor of the Bayfront Parkway.
The $111.7 million Bayfront Parkway Central Corridor Improvement Construction Project will improve traffic flow and make the waterfront more accessible from downtown Erie, allowing the city to take advantage of one of its key assets for tourism and economic development. The project will upgrade the pedestrian and bicycle amenities along the roadway between Sassafras Street Extension, State Street, and Holland Street. It will also address motorized traffic and utility needs, as well as create an iconic connection through the construction of a cable-stayed pedestrian bridge at the Holland Street intersection.
“The Bayfront Parkway is a major corridor for tourists and Erie locals alike – it is the gateway to both this beautiful bayfront and Erie’s downtown, which is currently undergoing an incredible economic revitalization. That’s why the Commonwealth is investing more than $37 million to revitalize the Bayfront Parkway,” said Governor Josh Shapiro.
“A project of this significance is possible because of partnerships among the department, federal, state, and local leaders, various authorities and agencies, and private businesses,” PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said. “We’re pleased to deliver this project for the region.”
The project includes several transportation improvements:
- Multi-use trail connecting the existing trail network, downtown, and the waterfront.
- Overhead pedestrian bridge at Holland Street.
- Sidewalk, crosswalk, and lighting upgrades throughout the length of the project.
- Hybrid roundabouts at the intersections with Sassafras Street Extension and Holland Street.
- Grade separated intersection at State Street, including a traditional signalized at-grade intersection and a path for through traffic on the Bayfront to travel below the intersection.
- Drainage updates throughout the corridor.
“Public involvement for this project started in 2017 and right from that start we heard about the important role this roadway and this connection play in Erie – for those who live, work or visit here,” said PennDOT District 1 Executive Brian McNulty. “This project represents more than six years of design work and a dedication to creating a comprehensive plan to address the mixed uses of the space and the future development plans within the corridor.”
The work will be done through a joint venture of Brayman Construction of Pittsburgh and Trumbull Corporation of Pittsburgh. The contract cost is $111,687,766, which will be paid for through a combination of state and federal funds, including nearly $28 million from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Construction will be completed in six phases over approximately four years. It will start at the Sassafras Street Extension intersection before the end of September and is expected to conclude with the construction of the pedestrian bridge at Holland Street. Details on the project phases and work at each intersection are available on the project web page.
