Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Bayfront Connector

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Existed:
  
2005 – present

Length
  
8.59 km

West end:
  
PA 5 / PA 290 in Erie

Constructed
  
2005

Bayfront Connector

Component highways:
  
PA 290 from Erie to Harborcreek Township PA 430 in Harborcreek Township

East end:
  
I-90 in Harborcreek Township

The Bayfront Connector is a 5.34-mile (8.59 km), four-lane expressway that connects Interstate 90 to downtown Erie, Pennsylvania.

Contents

Map of Bayfront Connector, Erie, PA, USA

Route description

At the intersection of East 12th Street, the Bayfront Parkway becomes the Bayfront Connector and picks up the concurrency with Pennsylvania Route 290. After it bridges the railroad tracks owned by CSX, the Connector parallels the tracks for Norfolk Southern. The Connector intersects East 38th Street at angle, prohibiting turns onto 38th Street. After the intersection of Shannon Road, the Bayfront Connector stops paralleling railroad tracks and crosses Fourmile Creek over the Wintergreen Gorge Bridge. The concurrency for Pennsylvania Route 430 begins at the intersection with Station Road. The entrance to Penn State Erie is on the Connector at the intersection for Hannon Road and Knowledge Parkway. The Bayfront Connector terminates, along with PA 290, at the I-90 interchange, while PA 430 continues as Station Road.

History

Starting in 1962, a number of studies were done to address the traffic congestion problems on the east side of the city of Erie and the adjacent communities of Harborcreek Township, Lawrence Park and Wesleyville. The proposed highway was called the "East Side Access Highway". On March 3, 1997, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued a Record of Decision authorizing the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to "proceed to final design, right-of-way acquisition and construction".

The construction of the Connector was broken up into different segments. The first segment, between Interstate 90 and McClelland Avenue, opened on November 21, 2003. The segment between McClelland Avenue and Broad Street was opened on November 4, 2004. The last section of the Bayfront Connector, from Broad Street to East 12th Street was opened on June 17, 2005 and was officially dedicated on June 24. Construction of the Bayfront Connector cost $180 million.

Major intersections

The entire route is in Erie County.

References

Bayfront Connector Wikipedia