by KYW's Brad Segall

Construction is finally going to begin on an 8½-mile parkway designed to ease traffic congestion between Montgomeryville (Montgomery County) and Doylestown (Bucks County), Pa.

They started talking about a new road more than 40 years ago. And over the decades it’s gone from a bypass to a parkway.  And as recently as 2004 the project was dead.

But now, construction will begin on the first phase of the $200-million parkway.  State and local officials held a symbolic groundbreaking Friday afternoon outside the Montgomery Township administration building (above).

State Rep. Kate Harper of Montgomery County says this will improve the quality of life in this area:

"It means somebody driving from Buckingham Township to work at Merck will get there on time.  It’s also going to mean that somebody trying to go home at night after working might just get there in time to see the Little League game.”

The parkway will be four lanes between Routes 63 and 463, and then two lanes from Route 463 to Route 611 in Doylestown. There will also be a bike and walking path.

First cars should be on the new road in 2011.

(Photo by KYW's Brad Segall)