A particular concept has not been selected at this time. Concepts presented herein have been conceptually engineered in enough detail to allow a comparison between options. Additional information presented is preliminary in nature and will change as the project progresses and the design of the selected concept is refined. The Draft Preferred Improvement Concept can be viewed here.

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Draft Improvement Concept 1
Draft Improvement Concept 1 generally follows the existing Route 981 alignment north to the Norvelt intersection of Route 981 with Routes 2021 and 2023. From there, it follows a new alignment along the former location of the trolley line for a short distance before intersecting with the existing Route 981 alignment to the north. This alignment generally follows existing Route 981 until north of Baker Road where this concept follows an eastern (east of existing Route 981) off-alignment route, skirting Pleasant Unity to the east, to form a new intersection at Route 130 and Route 981. This alignment then generally follows existing Route 981 north of Pleasant Unity to the project limits near the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport.

Draft Improvement Concept 2
Draft Improvement Concept 2 generally follows the existing Route 981 alignment north of the turnpike for approximately 1500 feet and then follows an off-alignment route to the east of existing Route 981 for approximately one and a half miles prior to reconnecting to existing Route 981. From this point, this concept generally follows the existing Route 981 alignment to the Norvelt intersection of Route 981 with Routes 2021 and 2023. From there, it follows a new alignment along the former location of the trolley line for a short distance and then parallels Holly Place Road (Route 2023) until forming an intersection with Route 2023 at County Road. At this point, the alignment generally follows existing Route 2023, relocating to the west around an existing cemetery near Dutch Hill Road, and follows an off-alignment route at the project limits connecting to the existing Westmoreland County AirPark roadway and then intersecting with Route 981.

Draft Improvement Concept 3
Draft Improvement Concept 3 generally follows the existing Route 981 alignment north of the turnpike for approximately 2000 feet and then follows an off-alignment route to the west of existing Route 981 for approximately one mile prior to reconnecting to existing Route 981. From this point, this concept generally follows the existing Route 2021/County Road/Route 2017 until the intersection with Route 0130. At the intersection of Route 130 and Route 2021 this concept follows an off-alignment route to the northwest of Pleasant Unit. The off-alignment route reconnects to existing Route 981 to the north of Anna Goodman Road. This alignment then generally follows existing Route 981 north of Pleasant Unity to the project limits near the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport.

Draft Improvement Concept 4
Draft Improvement Concept 4 generally follows Concept 1 from the turnpike to Dutch Hill Road with primarily minor variations. One variation of note is this concept follows the former trolley line to the west of Calumet until north of County Road. At Dutch Hill Road, the concept follows a short off-alignment route until connecting to Hill Churches Road (Route 2023) to the south of Trail 581. At this point, the alignment generally follows Concept 2. Near the project limits, this concept follows an off-alignment route to the south of the existing Westmoreland County AirPark and connects to existing Route 981 roadway at the southern portion of the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport property.