The Pennsylvania Department of Transport (PennDOT) in the US will soon seek bidders for excavation work to be carried out ahead of the federal-funded $300m project to construct a four-lane route 219 between Meyersdale to Somerset.

PennDOT is expecting the project earthwork to cost around $160m.

Somerset County Commissioner John Vatavuk was quoted by Daily American as saying that route 219 is an important part of the state Transportation Commission’s 2013 plan.

The plan also includes earthwork, construction of bridges and roadways.

PennDOT officials have started discussing project work with officials of the Maryland state, through which a part of the highway passes through.

Maryland State R-Grantsville Senator George Edwards said that the state has $98m in reserves to construct the stretch from its state border to I-68.

"If Pennsylvania can build 11 miles for $300 million, I don’t think it would cost much more than $98 million for our section," Edwards added.

"It would be a big help if it were 100% federally funded, but we need this highway. Route 219 would be as beneficial as a road can be."

Maryland will have to construct a bridge and an interchange in addition to the 2 miles to 2.5 miles of the stretch.