Over 30 projects were highlighted as the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced work that will take place across District 5’s six-county region during the 2021 construction season.
“The importance of good roads and bridges cannot be overstated,” said Governor Tom Wolf. “This work will ensure continued delivery of goods and services to hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians and keep the region’s economy thriving.”
Overall highlights in the 2021 construction season for District 5 (Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties) include:
- approximately 120 miles of paving;
- approximately 24 bridges repaired or replaced; and
- approximately 285 miles of roadway seal coated.
“Our highway and bridge improvement program is designed to provide safe and convenient travel across the region,” Acting District 5 Executive Chris Kufro said. “Improved travel is vital to quality of life for area residents and for the efficient movement of goods, and this year we will see over $130 million invested in new road and bridge construction projects, as well as more than $400 million invested in continuing projects like our Interstate 78 improvements in Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties.”
Notable projects that started or will continue this year include:
- Reconstruction of Interstate 78 between Exit 35 (PA 143/Lenhartsville) and Lehigh County line in Greenwich Township, Berks County, $168.3 million;
- Reconstruction and widening of Interstate 78 in Tilden Township and Hamburg Borough, Berks County, $125.6 million;
- Intersection improvements in US 222 in Maidencreek Township, Berks County, $26.7 million;
- Resurfacing of Route 12 in the City of Reading and Muhlenberg Township, Berks County, $13.2 million;
- Replacement of State Street Bridge over an unnamed tributary to the Schuylkill River in Hamburg Borough, Berks County, $2.4 million;
- Reconstruction and widening of Route 443 in Lehighton Borough and Mahoning Township, Carbon County, $21.2 million;
- Rehabilitation of Route 248 in East Penn Township, Franklin Township, Lower Towamensing Township, Bowmanstown Borough, Palmerton Borough and Parryville Borough, Carbon County, $14.2 million;
- Rehabilitation of the Tilghman Street Bridge over Lehigh River, Norfolk Southern Railroad and local streets in the City of Allentown, Lehigh County ($21.9 million);
- Reconstruction of Route 100 between Industrial Boulevard and Tilghman Street in Upper Macungie Township, Lehigh County, $19.4 million;
- Repair and resurface US 22 in South Whitehall Township and Upper Macungie Township, Lehigh County, $17.3 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;
- Replacement of the Route 29 Bridge over Norfolk Southern Railroad in Upper Milford Township, Lehigh County, $8.6 million;
- Roadway improvements to include an additional southbound lane and intersection improvements on Route 987/Airport Road between City Line Road and U.S. 22 in Allen and Hanover townships, Lehigh County, $5.8 million;
- Replacement of the Ridgeway Street Bridge over the Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad in East Stroudsburg Borough, Monroe County, $5.3 million;
- Replacement of Mill Pond Road Bridge over Pohopoco Creek in Polk Township, Monroe County, $1.4 million;
- Milling and paving of US 22 (including the ramps at the interchange with Route 33) in Bethlehem Township, Northampton County, $6.4 million;
- Milling and paving of Interstate 81 in Delano Township, East Union Township, Kline Township, Mahanoy Township, and Ryan Township, Schuylkill County, $15.5 million;
- Route 61 milling and paving in North Manheim Township, West Brunswick Township, and Orwigsburg Borough, Schuylkill County, $6.2 million;
- Milling and paving, traffic signal upgrades and drainage repairs on Route 924 in Mahanoy Township, West Mahanoy Township, Frackville Borough, Gilberton Borough, and Shenandoah Borough, Schuylkill County, $5.8 million; and.
- Traffic signal improvements on Route 61 in the City of Pottsville, Palo Alto Borough and North Manheim Township, Schuylkill County, $2 million.
Notable projects that are expected to begin this year include:
- Project to improve I-78 including patching, milling, paving and bridge preservation in Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton counties, $23.3 million;
- Milling and paving of Hampden Boulevard in City of Reading, Berks County, $2.8 million – $3 million (estimated);
- Milling and paving of Old Route 22 in Greenwich Township, Berks County, $2.8 million – $3 million (estimated);
- Milling and paving of Route 145 in Whitehall Township and North Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, $4 million – $5 million (estimated);
- Milling and paving of US 22 in Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, $3.8 million;
- Milling and paving of Old Route 22 in Weisenberg Township, Lehigh County, $2 million – $2.1 million (estimated);
- Milling and paving of Interstate 80 in Jackson Township and Pocono Township, Monroe County, $21 million;
- Milling and paving of US 209 in Hamilton Township and Stroud Township, Monroe County, $3.5 million – $4 million (estimated);
- Replacement of Route 447 Bridge over Goose Pond Run in Barrett Township, Monroe County, $1.2 million;
- Milling and paving of US 22 in Bethlehem Township, Palmer Township and Wilson Borough and Route 33 in Bethlehem Township and Palmer Township, Northampton County, $13.6 million;
- Milling and paving of Route 248 in Lower Nazareth Township, Upper Nazareth Township, Bath Borough and Nazareth Borough, Northampton County, $3.5 million – $4 million (estimated);
- Milling and paving Route 512 in Bangor Borough, Northampton County, $2.9 million; and
- Traffic signal improvements on Route 512 in Bath Borough, Northampton County, $1.2 million; and
- Milling and paving on Route 309 in Tamaqua Borough, Schuylkill County, $650,000 – $700,000 (estimated).
As construction projects are underway in the region, the traveling public can anticipate seeing many work zones and are urged to keep their safety and the safety of highway workers in mind. 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 are to take turns merging into the open lane.
For more information on projects occurring or being bid this year, those made possible by or accelerated by the state’s transportation funding plan (Act 89), or those on the department’s Four and Twelve Year Plans, visit www.projects.penndot.gov.
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.
511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.
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