I-99 Port Matilda Exit to Reopen After Monthslong Closure

An exit on Interstate 99 in Centre County is scheduled to reopen this week after being closed more than four months for road reconstruction work.

Exit 61/Port Matilda on I-99 southbound will reopen on Thursday, Aug. 13, as construction moves to the passing lane, according to PennDOT. In the event of inclement weather, work will be pushed to Friday, Aug. 14.

The exit has been closed since March 31 and was originally expected to reopen in June, but the need for additional repairs was discovered after work got underway.

The work is part of a project improve ride quality and extend the service life of about 1.5 miles of roadway on I-99 and U.S. Route 322 in Worth and College townships, as well as correct settlement issues on three bridges within the work zone.

Work under the project is also taking place on U.S. Route 322 near the Innovation Park/Penn State exit, where the eastbound and westbound passing lanes remain closed.

PennDOT anticipates the project to be completed in early October, but schedules are dependent on weather and other circumstances, the department wrote in a news release on Monday.

Francis J. Palo, Inc., of Clarion, is the contractor on the $1.8 million project, which includes highway reconstruction, guide rail installation, line painting and miscellaneous construction.