Lehighton, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 5 today highlighted highway and bridge construction projects that will start or continue this year in the six-county east central region.
PennDOT anticipates more than $700 million worth of road and bridge projects will be under construction this year in its Engineering District 5 region spanning Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties.
“Investing in our transportation system is essential for this region’s economy,” said District 5 Executive Mike Rebert. “And these projects are vital investments in east central Pennsylvania.”
The event was held at the Route 443 improvement project which is currently being constructed under a $21.2 million contract.
Notable ongoing projects that will continue this year include:
Project to improve Interstate 78 including patching, milling, paving and bridge preservation in Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton counties, $23.3 million;
Reconstruction of Interstate 78 between Exit 35 (PA 143/Lenhartsville) and Lehigh County line in Greenwich Township, Berks County, $172.9 million;
Reconstruction and widening of Interstate 78, including rehabilitating the bridge over the Schuylkill River and upgrading the Route 61 interchange, in Tilden Township and Hamburg Borough, Berks County, $132.2 million;
Milling, patching, paving, bridge repairs and guiderail replacement on Route 12 in City of Reading, Wyomissing Borough, and Spring Township, Berks County, $9.28 million;
Replacement of the Carsonia Avenue bridge over Antietam Creek in Lower Alsace Township, Berks County, $5.16 million;
Traffic signal upgrades on Spring Street in the City of Reading, Berks County, $2.7 million;
Replacement of the Route 568 bridge over Allegheny Creek in Robeson Township, Berks County, $2 million;
Milling and paving of Route 61 in Leesport Borough and Ontelaunee Township, Berks County, $1.5 million;
Milling and paving of Route 562 between Business Route 422/Perkiomen Avenue and Shelbourne Road in St. Lawrence Borough and Exeter Township, Berks County, $1.24 million;
Reconstruction and widening of Route 443 in Lehighton Borough and Mahoning Township, Carbon County, $21.2 million;
Installation of a roundabout at the intersection of US 222, Route 863 and Schantz Road in Upper Macungie Township, Lehigh County, $14.2 million;
Milling and paving of Route 145/MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, $6.2 million;
Milling and paving of Route 873 in Slatington Borough, North Whitehall and Washington Townships, Lehigh County, $4.2 million;
Realignment and reconstruction of Exit 308/Prospect Street interchange on Interstate 80 in East Stroudsburg Borough, Monroe County, $93.8 million;
Intersection widening and realignment at Routes 209 and 115 in Chestnuthill Township, Monroe County, $18.7 million;
Milling and paving of Route 33 in Hamilton and Ross Townships, Monroe County, and Plainfield Township, Northampton County, $9.49 million;
Milling and paving of Business 209 in East Stroudsburg Borough and Smithfield Township, Monroe County, $2.38 million;
Milling and paving of US 22 in Wilson Borough, Bethlehem and Palmer Townships and Route 33 in Bethlehem and Palmer Townships, Northampton County, $16 million;
Milling and paving of Route 191 in Bangor Borough, Plainfield and Washington Townships, Northampton County, $2.8 million;
Milling and paving of Route 61 in City of Pottsville, Palo Alto Borough, Schuylkill Haven Borough and North Manheim Township, Schuylkill County, $7 million;
Milling and paving of US 209 in Tamaqua and Coaldale boroughs, Schuylkill County, $5 million; and
Replacement of the Route 443/Columbia Street Bridge over the Schuylkill River in Schuylkill Haven Borough, Schuylkill County, $4.2 million.
Notable projects that are expected to begin this year include:
Intersection improvements at Routes 12 and 73 in Ruscombmanor Township, Berks County, $5.5 million;
Milling, patching, paving, bridge repairs and drainage improvements on Interstate 78 in City of Allentown, Salisbury and Upper Saucon Townships, Lehigh County, $18 - $19 million (est.);
Intersection and roadway improvements on Race Street in Catasauqua Borough, Lehigh County, $10.2 million;
Traffic signal improvements on Route 145/MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, $5.8 million;
Milling and paving of Route 145 in North Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, $4 - $5 million (est.);
Traffic signal improvements on Route 29 in Salisbury Township, Lehigh County, $3.27 million;
Replacement of Route 329 “Cementon” Bridge over the Lehigh River in Whitehall Township, Lehigh County and Northampton Borough, Northampton County, $21.7 million;
Milling, patching, and resurfacing of Interstate 78 in Upper Saucon Township, Lehigh County and Lower Saucon Township and City of Bethlehem, Northampton County, $15 -$16 million (est.);
Milling and paving of Route 611 in Hamilton and Stroud Townships, Monroe County, $1.8 - $2 million (est.);
Replacement of the Route 33 north and south bridges over Bushkill Creek in Stockertown Borough and Palmer Township, Northampton County, $21.7 million;
Milling, paving and traffic signal upgrades on Linden Street in City of Bethlehem and Bethlehem Township, Northampton County, $4 - $5 million (est.);
Milling and paving of Route 191 in Plainfield and Upper Nazareth Townships, Northampton County, $2.3 million;
Milling and paving of Route 191 in Nazareth Borough and Lower Nazareth Township, Northampton County, $2.4 $2.7 million (est.);
Milling, patching, and paving of Interstate 81 in Foster, Frailey, Pine Grove, and Tremont Townships, Schuylkill County, $14 - $15 million (est.); and
Milling, patching, and paving of Route 183 in Wayne Township, Schuylkill County, $5 - $6 million (est.).
As construction projects are underway in the region, the traveling public can anticipate seeing many work zones and are urged to keep in mind their safety and the safety of highway workers. When encountering a work zone, please drive the posted speed limit, turn on your headlights, pay close attention to signs and flaggers and avoid all distractions. In high traffic locations, motorists are encouraged to use both lanes of travel to the merge point and to take turns merging into the open lane.
Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.