More than five years ago, restaurateur Dimitrios Takos bought property along Washington Pike/Route 50 at Winstein Street in Collier, near the Interstate 79 interchange, with plans to open his third restaurant.
But Monday evening, he found out that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is destined to take that property and make Winstein a cul-de-sac as part of plans to widen Washington Pike to improve traffic flow and safety around the I-79 interchange.
And Takos likely isn’t the only property owner who will lose land as a result of the project that extends from Mayer Street to Thoms Run Road. PennDOT officials told people at a meeting at Chartiers Valley Middle School that three options for improvements between Steen Road and Thoms Run all would require some properties to be taken to include two right-turn lanes onto I-79.
Project manager Zachary Patterson said the department and consultants are in the early stages of designing the project scheduled for construction beginning in fall 2027. What option they choose will decide how much property and which ones will be taken.
But the new cul-de-sac that would take Takos’ property is part of all three plans.
“I had plans,” Takos said after meeting with PennDOT’s right-of-way officials. “All of a sudden, I have a problem.”
That middle section is a key part of the project because plans call for adding dual turning lanes in each direction to join northbound I-79. The three options would widen the road by taking property on the west side; by taking property on the east side, where Takos’ property is; or a combination of the two.
A resident asked if the turning lanes could be shorter to reduce the number of properties to be taken. Patterson said the township had asked for long lanes to reduce congestion for through-traffic on Washington Pike.
Designers should decide in about a year which option they will use for the interchange.
Although there will be changes in the other two sections of the project, Patterson said the department would only need slivers of some properties, but no business should be required to relocate for the work.
The main change in the first section of the project, between Mayer Street and Great Southern Shopping Center, will be adding a shared middle turn lane. There is enough room in that area to add the lane without taking much property, Patterson said.
Many of the traffic lights also will be updated in this project. It’s too early for the department to have an estimated cost for the work, Patterson said.
The area between Great Southern and Vanadium Road currently is undergoing a $5.61 million widening project that began in November 2022.
PennDOT has another meeting scheduled Tuesday to outline plans for another section of Washington Pike in South Fayette, where turning lanes will be added at intersections with Boyce and Alpine roads. That meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. at Upper St. Clair Community and Recreation Center, 1551 Mayview Road.
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.