CENTRE COUNTY — Construction on a hazardous grade truck pull-off along U.S. Route 322 eastbound near Sandy Ridge Trail/Strawband Beaver Road at the summit of Port Matilda Mountain in Rush Township began Monday, Sept. 21, according to a statement from the state Dept. of Transportation.
This project will improve safety by providing commercial vehicle operators a designated area to conduct safety checks and shift into a low gear before descending the steep grade, reducing the likelihood of crashes.
The contractor began placing traffic control signage throughout the work zone. PennDOT anticipates them placing concrete barriers to close the right (travel) lane and shoulder by Monday, Sept. 28, but all construction schedules are subject to change without notice due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Drivers are urged to watch for slow-moving and stopped vehicles throughout the work zone, obey posted work zone signage and speed limits, and to always buckle up.
Overall work on this contract includes paving, drainage improvements, guide rail installation, line painting and miscellaneous construction. Grannas Bros. Stone & Asphalt Co., Inc. is the contractor on this $570,000 project. PennDOT anticipates completion in early November.
Left lane closures on I-99
The contractor for PennDOT’s High-Speed Interchange project between Interstates 80 and 99 closed the left (passing) lane of I-99 northbound and southbound on Monday, Sept. 21, as it worked to remove the concrete median. This work is part of the larger 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 and alleviating congestion.
PennDOT expects the passing lane in each direction to remain closed until early October, but all construction schedules are subject to change due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
Additionally, access to Musser Lane from I-99 northbound and southbound is still prohibited. Musser Lane remains open, but it is only accessible by exiting I-99 at exit 83/Zion-Bellefonte and following Route 550 to Musser Lane.
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 five 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 Bill.
The high-speed interchange is one phase of a three-phase project. The first involved the construction of the local access interchange at mile marker 163, which provided direct access between Route 26 and I-80 for local traffic. Construction on that phase took place over three construction seasons between 2020 and 2022. The contract value was $52 million. That phase benefited from a $35 million federal Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant.
Reconstruction and widening along Route 26 to maintain and support the state roadway network started in November 2024 with construction finishing this year.
Completing all three phases will support the regional freight economy and improve the reliability of roadway travel throughout the region.
Work Schedule for Week of Sept. 21
The following schedule of maintenance activities in Centre County was recently announced for the week of Sept. 21. PennDOT performs year-round maintenance in its mission to provide a safe, efficient transportation system, and the scope of work in Centre County for the coming week is as follows:
Guide rail
- Route 26 between Park Road in Howard Township and Slaughter House Road in Marion Township through Friday, Sept. 25.
- Route 150 between Route 1004 (Hunter Run Road) and Route 1002 (Sayers Dam Road in Liberty Township through Friday, Sept. 25.
- Route 550 between Davison Road and Marengo Road in Halfmoon Township through Friday, Sept. 25.
- Route 2007 (Brush Mountain Road) between Grenoble Road and Green Grove Road in Gregg Township through Friday, Sept. 25.
Paving
- Route 550 between Confer Farm Lane in Patton Township and Fillmore Road in Benner Township through Friday, Sept. 25.
- Route 3021 (Steele Hollow Road) between East Mountain Road and Maurer Lane in Huston Township through Friday, Sept. 25.
- Route 3025 (Fowler Hollow Road) between Election House Hill Road and Nearhoof Lane in Taylor Township through Friday, Sept. 25.
Pipe Replacing & Cleaning
- All of Route 1016 (Orviston Road) through Friday, Sept. 25.
- Route 3003 (Bernel Road) between Route 550 and Bernel Road Park through Friday, Sept. 25.
Shoulder Maintenance
- Route 144 between Cherry Lane in Bellefonte Borough and Steeple Chase Drive in Spring Township through Friday, Sept. 25.
- Route 2010 (Upper Georges Valley Road) between Route 144 in Potter Township and Route 2012 (Cooper Street) in Gregg Township through Friday, Sept. 25.
Vegetation Management
- All of Route 45 through Friday, Sept. 25.
- Interstate 99 (I-99) between mile markers 55 and 85 through Friday, Sept. 25.
This schedule is subject to change due to weather conditions, emergencies, or other unforeseen interruptions.
