Malagari celebrates completion of Phase II of the long-awaited Route 309 Connector
Rep. Steve Malagari August 14, 2025 | 1:08 PM
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SOUDERTON, Aug. 14 – State Rep. Steve Malagari, D-Montgomery, joined leaders from the PA Department of Transportation and the Montgomery County Planning Commission today to celebrate completion of Phase II of the Route 309 Connector project at a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at the intersection of Elroy Road and the newly constructed Wambold Road.
“Today, we make history,” Malagari said in a speech. “For decades, entire lifespans—since before I was even born—people have been talking about the 309 Connector. It was a ‘really great idea’ that hovered in the ether, but never seemed to fully materialize until the first phase was completed in 2012.”
Malagari said when he took office in 2019, one of his first goals was to complete the work begun by his predecessor, Rep. Bob Godshall, to finally make the long-discussed idea a reality, with the support of Sen. Maria Collett.
The 309 Connector will span five municipalities across two counties, two Congressional districts, three state Senate districts, and four state House districts. Phase III is currently in the final design stage, with construction set to begin in 2027.
“That’s a lot of stakeholders to bring together. A lot of concerns to address. A lot of opinions to weigh. But with a lot of meetings, a lot of listening and a whole lot of determination, we were able to do it – to get all those people on the same page and make progress happen,” Malagari said.
“The completion of the 309 Connector’s second phase stands as profound proof of what is possible when everyone comes together in a spirit of cooperation for the common good,” Malagari continued. “This project crossed political boundaries, it crossed municipal boundaries, it required big picture planning and precise, specific skill. There were sacrifices and setbacks. Yet, everyone remained united in their focus and worked to the best of their ability until the job got done.”
The new road provides a more direct route to access local businesses by improving system connectivity between Sumneytown Pike (just north of the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Lansdale Interchange) to PA 309, along a five-mile corridor between Montgomery and Bucks counties. It’s expected to reduce overall congestion in the area and make travel safer for both drivers and pedestrians.
Malagari noted his appreciation for cooperation among the Montgomery County Planning Commission and officials from Franconia and Hatfield townships.
“This is not the ‘end of the road,’ Malagari said. “The third and final phase of the project, fully connecting into Route 309, will be starting a short time from now. I look forward to carrying this spirit of cooperation with us into the next phase of this project as we continue to work together to move Pennsylvania forward.”