POINT TOWNSHIP -- One phase of a long-awaited and much anticipated project started Monday in Northumberland County.
The Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway project is expected to be finished in 2024.
The project has been talked about for more than 40 years and now the first big chunk of work has started.
Construction crews are building an access road off Route 147 near Northumberland for construction vehicles to build the $155 million bridge.
The bridge is the main feature of the project.
"We do need a bypass. A lot of this traffic goes in through Northumberland, which is really another big problem," said Emily Mertz.
Mertz lives just off Route 147 in Point Township where much of the construction will happen.
When all is said and done, a one-mile bridge will go past her house. Route 147 is already a heavily traveled roadway.
"Sometimes you have to sit down here five, six minutes to even pull out because traffic is that bad."
But over the next few weeks, Route 147 will be down to one lane periodically for roadwork and equipment delivery.
"It's a necessity and it's the times," said Mertz. "The traffic, that's the way it is nowadays."
As part of the project, part of the access road is being built just off Route 147 next to the Little Sportsman shop.
Steve McNeal owns the shop and has mixed feelings about that.
"It's going to be a little less convenient to get to my store but it's one of those things. It's the price you pay for progress."
McNeal says he is excited for the project's end result.
"I think it will be good for the local businesses. It will be easier to get here even though we won't be on the beaten path. This traffic will slow down but I think it will do a lot for us," he said.
PennDOT believes the Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway project could be ready for traffic in 2024. Until then, people in Northumberland, Snyder and Union Counties will see a lot of construction.
