RIDGWAY — Safety improvement work on Route 66 within the Allegheny National Forest in Highland Township will start next week, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The location of the project is approximately 2 miles south of Russell City.

Initial work will include erosion control measures and tree cutting, PennDOT said. Traffic control will consist of short-term lane closures and alternating traffic patterns controlled by flaggers.

Starting April through July there will be a 10-foot vehicle width restriction in effect when major road excavation will be performed.

PennDOT said the overall project will improve the Route 66 and Route 948 intersection, with the realignment of Route 948 to form a T intersection. Other work includes full-depth pavement widening to install a northbound right turn lane and a southbound left turn lane on Route 66.

HRI Inc. of State College is the contractor on the $1.9 million job, which is scheduled to be completed in late October.