News/Events
Public Meeting on 219 Corridor Study Scheduled for April 2
March 27, 2019PLEASE ATTEND TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR COMPLETING US 219 IN SOMERSET COUNTY!
Public Officials Meeting
Tuesday, April 2
Salisbury Volunteer Fire Hall, 385 Ord Street, Salisbury
4:00 to 5:00 p.m. – Public Officials Meeting
6:00 to 8:00 p.m. – Public Plans Display
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is conducting a corridor study of Route 219 from the Maryland State Line to the southern limit of the Meyersdale Bypass. This section of the corridor is located in Elk Lick and Summit townships, and the Borough of Salisbury in Somerset County. The study will involve a comprehensive review of the existing corridor in relationship to the existing roadway that will provide recommendations of various improvements for current and future needs of the roadway.
Kicking off the study, a public officials meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 2 from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Salisbury Volunteer Fire Hall, 385 Ord Street, Salisbury. The public is invited to attend, and following that meeting, a public plans display will be held in the same location, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
This is a tremendous opportunity to get the study started with momentum, and demonstrate our community’s support for completing Route 219. Please plan on attending!
Meet us at the 219 Public Meeting!
NOTE: If you can attend the public meeting on April 2, and want to connect with our team of #Complete219 supporters, you’ll be able to easily tell who they are. Here’s a pic (courtesy of Dave Suter at the Tribune-Democrat) of our Board chairman G. Henry Cook (left), CEO and chairman of the board of Somerset Trust Co., speaking with U.S. Rep. John Joyce, R-Blair County at a meeting last week in Somerset. Henry has “219” written on his forehead to show his support for completing U.S. Route 219 – and we’ll be doing that again on April 2. Join us!!!
Letter to Baltimore Sun re: US 219 Project in Garrett County
December 28, 2018Dear Mr. Rodricks:
On behalf of the members and stakeholders of Continental 1 – the 3-state advocacy group working to complete US 219 – I write in response to your Dec. 14 editorial, “Larry Hogan’s $61.5 million ‘nowhere’ highway project gets underway in western Maryland.” As you might imagine, we see things quite differently.
You raise a very thought-provoking question in your piece – how can a project “remain a priority for decades,” and it seems that the question itself suggests the answer. It’s no secret that rural highways and bridges are not election winners. Away from population centers, they are not at the top of very many elected officials’ agenda. Which, we suspect, is why Congress has had such a difficult time getting rural highway funding into an infrastructure funding bill. Yet, to the people of the communities surrounding them, infrastructure investments such as the Route 219 Realignment Project represent critical improvements to safety, mobility and access. Whether it’s protecting our families on the road, strengthening supply chains, or attracting new jobs to the area, the condition and efficiency of our road network is pivotal.
How can a project remain a priority for decades? Because it’s important enough that it outlasts decades of elected officials who chose to direct infrastructure funding toward higher-profile, election-winning projects.
Last month, just 20 minutes north of the intersection you’re addressing, PennDOT opened the brand new 11-mile section of US 219 – a project that had “remained a priority” since the 1970s. It has invigorated the community, and has built the foundation for economic growth in Somerset County. Leadership in Harrisburg and locally understood that an initiative that stays relevant for that amount of time is, in the end, worth the investment. We’re thankful to Governor Hogan for feeling the same way.
We understand, though, that your perception may be a common one among folks in the more populous areas of the state. Even though we weren’t fans of your take, we appreciate your bringing up the topic, and opening the door for discussion. We hope to host you in Garrett County again in 2019.
Thank you.
Read MoreRoute 219 now open from Somerset to Meyersdale
November 23, 2018From The Daily American
The road is finally open. After decades of bumps in the road, officials finally cut the ribbon Wednesday morning to open Route 219 from Somerset to Meyersdale while standing under the old Route 219 underpass.
Read More