MT. PLEASANT TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Bob Ersick has lived on Mount Pleasant Road in Fayette County for 21 years and has seen traffic increase.
“It’s increased a lot, probably over double in the time that we bought this,” Ersick told Channel 11′s Andrew Havranek.
Now, he’s worried a PennDOT project is going to make it worse.
“My biggest concerns are getting in and out of my driveway and taking the value away from my property,” he said.
PennDOT has discussed this plan on Route 119 for 15 years because there have been numerous crashes at these intersections - one here just this week.
The hope, PennDOT said, is that these changes will make that stretch of 119 safer.
“I realize we can’t save everybody, but I believe everybody’s worth saving,” said Jeremy Hughes, Assistant District Executive of Design with PennDOT.
The project would remove the traffic lights at two intersections, install on and off ramps, build a bridge across Route 119, and install a roundabout on Mount Pleasant Road.
Ersick’s house and driveway will be right on the roundabout.
Ersick said the safety concerns are going to move from Route 119 to his house.
He said his wife has epilepsy. Her doctor wrote a note about the potential impact on her safety, and Ersick sent it to PennDOT.
“I would have not bought this if this was here,” Ersick said. “There’s no way. I don’t know anybody that would.”
Ersick wants PennDOT to buy his whole property.
Havranek asked PennDOT if that was a possibility, but they couldn’t comment.
“That is an act of right-of-way negotiation right now,” Hughes said. “It’s just something our right-of-way specialist and the property owners, or the property owner’s representation, if they have legal representation, will work out.”
Ersick has hired an attorney.
PennDOT said bids for the project will go out this summer, with some utility work starting late summer or early fall.
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