VENANGO CO., Pa. — The two-year, $32.6 million project to repair and reconstruct nearly 10 miles of Route 8 from Georgetown Road (Route 3004) in Irwin Township to Polk Cutoff Road (Route 3024) in Sandycreek Township in Venango County is nearly complete.

(Photo: Route 8 following completion of the paving of the southbound lanes on October 5, 2021.)

The final detour for the project was lifted on Friday, October 22. The project is expected to be completed in early November 2021.

Motorists should be alert for temporary lane restrictions and other traffic control put in place as needed to finish the remainder of the project. Work will include road and driveway tie-ins on the north end of the project area, rumble strips, and raised pavement markers at some of the off-and-on-ramps.

“Throughout the Route 8 design and construction process, we heard from hundreds of residents about the significance of this roadway to the economy and quality of life in Venango County. With this investment into the pavement and bridges, we have ensured the continuation of that important link to Interstate 80 for years to come,” said PennDOT District 1 Executive Brian McNulty, P.E. “We appreciate the community’s patience during the construction. As the project winds down we hope everyone is as pleased as we are with the results.”

During the first year of the project, work concentrated on the northbound lanes of Route 8 in Sandycreek, Irwin, and Victory townships and included breaking the existing concrete to create a base for the new asphalt pavement, bridge rehabilitation, drainage upgrades, guide rail replacements, and sign updates. Upgrades were also done to Old Route 8 (Route 3013), which was used as a detour for southbound traffic in both years of the contract.

This year similar work was done on the southbound lanes as well as rehabilitation work to the bridge that carries southbound and northbound traffic over Georgetown Road, including roadway approaches, deck surfacing, and barrier repairs.

That work was completed on October 22, 2021, and the roadway was fully reopened to all traffic.

The contractor is Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc. of State College, PA. The contract cost is $32,645,000, which will be paid for with 80 percent federal funds and 20 percent state funds.

Additional information on the Route 8 Reconstruction Project is available online at www.penndot.gov/district1. 

PennDOT urges motorists to slow down when driving in work zones, and also to be alert to changing conditions, to avoid distractions, and to pay attention to signs and flaggers. Drive responsibly in work zones for your safety and the safety of the workers.

Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties at www.penndot.gov/District1.

Information about infrastructure in District 1, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.gov/D1Results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.

Follow PennDOT’s northwest region on Twitter or Facebook.

PennDOT District 1 is hiring for a variety of positions, including CDL operators, mechanics, highway maintenance workers, civil engineers, construction inspectors, and transportation technicians. Apply online atwww.employment.pa.gov.