The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced that the contractor for its High-Speed Interchange between Interstates 80 and 99 plans to demolish half of a bridge spanning Route 26 on I-80 eastbound at mile marker 160 on Thursday, March 20, and Friday, March 21. This work is part of the project to enhance traffic safety by providing a direct connection between the two highways, making it unnecessary to travel along Route 26 to access them, relieving traffic congestion, and realigning service for local traffic.
I-80 Detour Information
The following detours will be in place for the two days of demolition work:
- Drivers on I-80 westbound heading for Interstate 99 via Route 26 will continue to exit 158/Milesburg. I-99 southbound will not be accessible from the westbound lanes at exit 161/Bellefonte for these two days. After taking the Milesburg exit, traffic will take I-80 eastbound back to the 161/Bellefonte interchange to reconnect with I-99.
- Drivers on I-99 northbound heading for Route 26 northbound or I-80 westbound will take I-80 eastbound to exit 163/Jacksonville-Howard. Route 26 northbound and I-80 westbound will not be accessible from I-99 northbound for these two days.
- Southbound drivers on Route 26 heading for I-99 southbound will merge onto I-80 westbound at the 161/Bellefonte interchange and follow it to Milesburg. The ramps to I-80 eastbound will not be accessible for these two days. After taking the Milesburg exit, drivers will take I-80 eastbound back to the 161/Bellefonte interchange to reconnect with I-99 southbound.
Overall work on this project 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 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.
The high-speed interchange is the next 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 occurred over three construction seasons between 2020 and 2022.
The other phase will reconstruct and widen Route 26 to maintain and support the State roadway network. It will feature 11-foot travel lanes and 4-foot shoulders. Excavation work for that project started in November. Active construction on that project will begin in the 2025 construction season.
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