The state Dept. of Transportation (PennDOT) announced that the contractor for its High-Speed Interchange project between Interstates 80 and 99 began paving crossover lanes in the media along I-99 this week.
is work is part of a project to enhance traffic safety by providing a direct connection between the two Interstates, making it unnecessary to travel along Route 26 to access them, which will relieve traffic congestion and realign service for local traffic.
Starting Monday, the contractor closed the left (passing) lane in each direction between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. between mile markers 84 and 85. PennDOT expects work to pave the crossovers, which will be used to shift traffic as construction progress, will take approximately two weeks to complete but notes all schedules of subject to change due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
Work on this contract includes building the interchange, ten bridges, four retaining walls, five box culverts, seven sign structures, and three changeable message boards. It also includes constructing new and rebuilding existing roadways and ramps, drainage improvements, installing Intelligent Transportation System devices, guide rail and highway lighting, pavement marking, stream improvements, and miscellaneous construction. Work will continue through the next six construction seasons, ending in 2030. Trumbull Corporation of Pittsburgh is the contractor on this $259 million project. Approximately $170 million of the funding comes from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
