PennDOT and the Federal Highway Administration have issued a draft of the environmental impact statement for the proposed Route 322 project and scheduled a public hearing to take place April 7.
The State College Area Connector project will create a limited-access highway that stretches 8 miles between Boalsburg and Potters Mills.
The Central option was identified as the preferred route. The environmental report outlines the potential negative effects the new highway could have, including on farms, homes, woods and wildlife. According to the report, the new highway would displace 15 residential buildings, two commercial structures, one church and potentially two agricultural operations. It would also impact farmland and wetlands.
A visualization of the preferred route for the U.S. Route 322 State College Area Connector project.
The project is meant to address road safety and increasing traffic. According to the new report, the preferred central option could cost between $840 million and $1 billion. Construction could start in 2030 and be finished by 2035.
A 45-day public comment period is open until April 20. A public hearing will take place at 5 p.m. on April 7 at 150 Harvest Fields Drive, Boalsburg, with doors opening at 4 p.m. Comments can also be submitted online through the PennDOT project website.