The city of Hermitage recently received $1.73 million in state Transportation Infrastructure Investment Funds for transportation infrastructure improvements.
Funding will be used to improve State Route 18 and Lamor Road. The area is a key access points for the Joy Cone food processing manufacturing plant. The company plans to expand the facility by 200,000-square-feet, a project that will create 90 jobs.
Road improvements will improve truck access, operational efficiencies, and safety.
“This investment is helping to create jobs and boost the economy by supporting the needs of a growing business,” Dennis Davin, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) secretary, said. “Improving the main access areas to Joy Cone’s facility will better serve the company’s employees and residents while allowing this manufacturer to continue to thrive in Mercer County.”
“This investment shows how transportation and our economy work hand-in-hand to support jobs and our quality of life,” Yassmin Gramian, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) secretary, said.
The Hermitage Board of Commissioners also approved $30 million for the expansion.
In 2020, the Governor’s Action Team worked with Joy Cone to support its expanding operations, which is expected to create more than 400 full-time jobs by 2023.
The Transportation Infrastructure Investment Fund program is administered in cooperation with DCED and PennDOT.