“We are honored to be part of this important regional project and receive the MASITE Project of the Year Award on behalf of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 12,” said Jeannette Quirus, McCormick Taylor, Director, Traffic Engineering.
The $12.8 million OMG Project was a joint effort between the Pennsylvania Secretaries of Transportation and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA DCNR). The project improvements included the replacement of the six-span Youghiogheny River Bridge (SR 381) superstructure, a new pedestrian underpass, new sidewalks, a bike path, a reconstructed/reconfigured parking lot with permeable pavement and underground stormwater storage, along with other improvements. McCormick Taylor staff across multiple offices and the subconsultant team worked together to deliver this project from preliminary engineering to construction advertisement in just one year.
In addition to the MASITE award, the OMG Project has been recognized by several other industry organizations receiving the following awards:
- 2021 America's Transportation Award, Quality of Life/Community Development, Northeast Region (Small Project Group)
- 2020 Project of the Year, ASHE Southwest Penn Section
- 2020 Innovative Transportation Solutions Winner, WTS Pittsburgh
The project’s location in Ohiopyle Borough and Ohiopyle State Park, Fayette County, PA provided the opportunity for several unique design features, including:
- An off-road bike path and a reconstructed parking lot were both designed with permeable pavement and underground stormwater storage. This unique design feature situates the parking lot and bike path atop a two- to three-foot-deep “reservoir” designed to collect the surrounding surface water after it seeps through the pervious asphalt surface, allowing the water to slowly be released.
- A 10-foot-high by 16-foot-wide pedestrian underpass was built beneath SR 381, connecting the parking lot to the park’s visitor center and boat launch along the Youghiogheny River. The underpass was installed to reduce vehicle/pedestrian conflicts on SR 381. Just north of the underpass, textured and colored pavement was used, along with removable speed humps, to provide a highly visible pedestrian crossing area. The speed humps were designed to be taken out for snow removal purposes.
- A new SR 381 bridge deck that includes two 11-foot travel lanes, a 10-foot-wide shared-use pedestrian and bike path on one side, and a 7-foot-wide shoulder on the other side. Removable, flexible delineators were installed to separate pedestrian/bike traffic from vehicles and built into the bridge deck using removable threaded metal cups to facilitate snow removal. Additionally, coordination with American Indian Tribes resulted in a Wampum pattern on the SR 381 Bridge that provides an interesting visual element that ties to the area’s history.
