Route 481 in Fallowfield Township scheduled to reopen Friday
The extended detour has pushed additional traffic onto smaller township roads, raising safety concerns among residents.
Relief is in sight for motorists in Fallowfield Township as officials say Route 481 will reopen by Friday, ending a closure that has rerouted traffic and strained local roads for nearly a month.
A portion of the state road has been closed since April 6 to allow the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad to complete maintenance work on a railroad crossing between Wertz Way and Route 2025 (Coyle Curtin Road).
A posted detour has been in place, directing drivers along Route 2025, Route 88, First Street, Lincoln Avenue Extension and Route 2016 (Old 71).
Supervisors provided an update Wednesday, noting that the project was necessary and included structural improvements.
As part of the work, the bridge was raised by three feet and also widened.
Supervisor Earl Sadler said the project has created challenges for residents, particularly because of detour requirements tied to the road’s state designation.
“While the road is state owned, PennDOT is not directly involved with the work or the closure, but because it is a state road the posted detour also has to use state roads, which adds about a 4-mile detour to residents if you don’t know other township roads or shortcuts,” Sadler said. “Those township roads people are using as detours are where the problems are.”
The extended detour has pushed additional traffic onto smaller township roads, raising safety concerns among residents.
“I live up on Truman, and it’s insane,” one resident told supervisors. “It’s dangerous because there are people walking with their kids, walking with their dogs,” he added.
Residents said speeding and increased traffic on typically quiet residential and rural roads have made conditions difficult to manage.
Sadler provided good news to those residents Wednesday.
“School busses will be able to go through tomorrow (today), and the road should reopen totally on Friday,” Sadler said.
Supervisors acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the closure and detour, and acknowledged everyday traffic concerns along that stretch.
Chairman Bruce Smith said traffic along Route 481 is often heavy even under normal conditions.
“I don’t know how people can drive so fast down that road,” he said. “We’re really sorry for the nuisance you have had to put up with.”
In other business, supervisors unanimously agreed to adopt a resolution to add a fee for re-zoning requests, increase the clean-up fee for the park pavilion from $25 to $35 and will advertise for diesel fuel bids for 2026. Appointments to the parks and recreation commission and the selection of a representative on the board of the Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority were tabled.
