As of January 2022, this project is in early design phases as teams from Southwestern Pennaylvania Commission and PennDOT undergo planning efforts in coordination with the completion of other projects in the area like the Hazelwood Green project along Second Avenue which is slated for completion in November 2022.

The Bates Street project has a $2 million budget for preliminary design and engineering after studying the Bates St. and I-376 Parkway East interchange to address the widening of Bates in conjunction with the improvements to the Parkway East interchange as well as other multimodal access points along Bates including the Frazier Street Steps connecting pedestrians to South Oakland, Eliza Furnace Trail access, Hodge Street access for local residents, and more, as changes to the parkway exit ramp and developments at the top of Bates Street are predicted to carry an increased vehicle volume in the future.

As the planning phase continues, no construction schedule has been set, though is expected to begin in mid- to late-2023. Other project considerations include the magnitude of a retaining wall on the east side of Bates, impacts on community parklets, environmental impacts, stormwater management, and more. To advance and be eligible for federal funding, a comprehensive environmental study will be conducted which can typically take 2-3 years to complete, and will ultimately determine the design, scope, and timeline of the project overall while also looking at noise impacts given the proximity to residential areas nearby, transit impacts along Second Avenue, and any potential infrastructure impacts given the proximity to an electric utility substation in the area. As of January 2022, no such study has been started as the project is still in its early planning phase.