Centrum Transportation Modernization Act Schedules District Road and Transit Work for October 2026

The state legislature passed the Transportation Modernization Act in June 2026. The law assigns specific funding shares to Centrum districts for road resurfacing and bus fleet additions, with the first construction notices set for October.

State budget documents tie the act to the 2027 fiscal year capital plan. Those documents list matching requirements that draw on existing federal highway programs already approved for the region. The timing aligns with the end of the current maintenance cycle for several state routes inside city limits.

Residents who drive daily routes along the river corridor will see lane reductions and temporary closures once crews mobilize. Bus riders on routes 12 and 19 will encounter revised timetables once new vehicles enter service. The legislation states that local public works departments must post 30-day advance notices at affected intersections.

Project Rollout Dates

The act requires the state Department of Transportation to release bid packages by September 15. Centrum County records show that paving contracts for segments of Route 47 and Elm Street extensions are listed first. New buses are scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2027, after which older vehicles will be retired from the fleet.

Budget papers released with the bill allocate 120 million dollars to the Centrum metropolitan planning district. Of that amount, 55 million dollars cover pavement rehabilitation on 18 miles of local roads and 65 million dollars support transit vehicle purchases and depot upgrades. The figures appear in the enacted capital budget appendix under line item 47-3B.

County staff have begun mapping detour routes and will hold two public information sessions at the Centrum Civic Center on July 22 and August 5. The legislation requires those sessions before any equipment arrives on site. After the sessions, updated maps will appear on the county website and at library branches.