Officials Survey Progress of Route 309 Connector Project

John Worthington | The Reporter•

State Rep. Steve Malagari, PennDOT Secretary Mike Caroll and the Route 309 Connector project team tour the 309 Connector worksite Monday afternoon.

State Rep. Steve Malagari met with Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation Mike Carroll Monday afternoon to discuss and survey the progress made in Phase II of the Route 309 Connector Project.

Originally conceived in the 1960s, the five-mile-long project aims to connect the Northeast extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike to Route 309 to remove truck traffic from local roads and enhance mobility for motorists.

"Having the actual route that trucks can take that doesn’t put them onto your back road or on the local roadway in your community is a benefit,” said Malagari, D-53rd Dist.

"You’re gonna see a brand new roadway in Hatfield and Franconia townships that does not exist today,” added Carroll. "That brand new capacity will make travel much more convenient and safer for the residents of Montgomery and Bucks County.”

The first phase of the project featuring the reconstruction of Wambold Road in Towamencin was completed in 2012. The second phase includes the ongoing construction of a new roadway from Allentown Road to Cowpath Road and the reconstruction of Township Line Road from Cowpath Road to Hatfield/Souderton Pike.

The third and final phase will add additional roadway from Souderton Pike to a new 309 interchange in Hatfield and Hilltown townships and install two roundabouts at the intersections of Fairhill Road and Route 309 and Old Bethlehem Pike and County Line Road.

Trail Added in Phase II

At the PennDOT field office in Souderton, Malagari, Carroll and the project’s design team provided an update on Phase II. PennDOT engineer Sal Ali revealed that the new roadway from Allentown Road to Cowpath Road has been paved, with reconstruction of Township Line Road currently underway.

The officials highlighted some new additions to the roadway, including six sound walls in residential areas, new lighting and stormwater basins and an extended walking/bike trail. Carroll described the trail as a "real asset.”

"It’s one thing to put in a new capacity roadway for cars and trucks, but we’re also accommodating bikes and pedestrians,” said Carroll. "People can walk their dog, ride their bike; it’s really a wonderful addition.”

"When you’re putting a roadway between people’s homes, adding that quality of life aspect is really important and adds some balance to it as well,” added Malagari.

Ali additionally pointed to eight-foot shoulders along both sides of the roadway as well as adaptive traffic signals that will monitor traffic and give priority to the queue line.

Roundabouts

The officials then turned to the proposed roundabout installations in phase three, saying that they will alleviate traffic and facilitate mobility.

"What you’re gonna see is a heck of a lot easier mobility through this area and more seamless transportation as we soften up those intersections,” said Malagari.

"Admittedly for some folks, it’s a newer traffic movement,” said Carroll. "But the engineering is sound. Traffic keeps flowing and it eliminates left turns.”

While acknowledging that the project is a "little ahead” of schedule, Malagari said that the third phase will not commence until 2025-2027.

Following the briefing, Malagari, Carcoll and the design team toured the 309 Connector Project worksite, stopping at multiple points to survey the sound walls, stormwater basins and a roundabout site. Carroll credited Malagari’s tireless advocacy for his visit.

"When I was sworn in as Secretary after Governor Shapiro’s election, one of the first calls I received was from Representative Malagari inviting me to Montgomery County to see this project,” said Carroll. "So from my perspective, the representative’s advocacy is what brought me here today.”

Carroll said he is "100% confident” that phase two will finish on schedule, enabling the team to promptly turn its attention to phase three.

"My suspicion is that the growth in the county will continue, and it’s important from PennDOT’s perspective to be responsive to that growth and to accommodate it in the safest manner possible,” said Carroll.

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