“Pennsylvania benefits greatly from the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act,” Governor Tom Wolf said. “We are fortunate to have this funding which is being used to meet additional infrastructure needs.”
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Acting Deputy Executive Secretary Melissa Batula said, “We have many meaningful projects that will modernize our infrastructure while creating sustainable, well-paying jobs that will transform our transportation system and our communities. local economies.
The event took place near the Interstate 78 interchange with Route 61 which is currently being rebuilt under a $125.6 million contract.
“Through the Infrastructure Act, we are beginning to rebuild our roads, bridges, and other vital infrastructure across Pennsylvania, and reviving projects that have been put on hold. The Interstate 78 interchange project and others throughout Berks County and the region will make it easier and safer for Pennsylvanians to travel and get around. These construction projects will also create well-paying jobs. We are making progress in rebuilding our infrastructure and I will continue to work in Congress to bring infrastructure investment to the Commonwealth,” Senator Casey said.
The total value of projects under construction this year in PennDOT District 5 covering Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton and Schuylkill counties is approximately $500 million. General highlights of the District’s 2022 construction season include:
- approximately 116 miles of paving;
- approximately 31 bridges will be repaired or replaced; and
- approximately 265 miles of roadway will be sealed.
These improvements include projects supported and accelerated by BIL. In 2022 alone, BIL is providing at least $50.8 million in additional funding to the District 5 region, which will be allocated by the department and its local partners at the Metropolitan and Rural Planning Organization (MPO/RPO ):
- Reading Area Transportation Study will receive at least $18.4 million more;
- The High Valley Transportation Study will receive at least an additional $20.3 million; and
- The Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance will receive at least an additional $12.1 million.
Notable ongoing projects that will continue this year include:
- I-78 Improvement Project, including patching, milling, paving and preservation of bridges in Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties, $23.3 million;
- Reconstruction of I-78 between Exit 35 (Route 143/Lenhartsville) and the Lehigh County line in Greenwich Township, Berks County, $168.3 million;
- Reconstruction and widening of I-78, including rehabilitation of the Schuylkill River Bridge and upgrade of the Route 61 Interchange, in Tilden Township and Borough of Hamburg, Berks County, 125.6 millions of dollars ;
- Intersection improvements on US 222 in Maidencreek Township, Berks County, $26.7 million;
· Reconstruction and widening of Highway 443 in the Borough of Lehighton and Township of Mahoning, County of Carbon, $21.2 million;
- Repair and resurfacing of US 22 in South Whitehall and Upper Macungie Townships, Lehigh County, $17.3 million;
- Installing 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 248 in East Allen Township, Lower Nazareth Township, Upper Nazareth Township, Borough of Bath and Borough of Nazareth, Northampton County, $3.4 million;
- Highway 512 traffic signal improvements in the Borough of Bath, Northampton County, $1.2 million; and
- Milling and paving on US 22 in Bethlehem Township, Palmer Township and Wilson Borough and Route 33 in Bethlehem Township and Palmer Township, Northampton County, $13.6 million.
Notable projects slated to begin this year include:
- Resurfacing Route 562 between Commercial Route 422/Perkiomen Avenue and Shelbourne Road in the Borough of St. Lawrence and Township of Exeter, Berks County, $1.4-1.6 million (estimate );
- Resurfacing old Route 22 between the Bethel Township line and St. Michaels Road in Upper Tulpehocken, Upper Bern and Tilden Townships, Berks County, $3.1 million – $3.4 million dollars (est.);
- Resurfacing of Route 737 between Zettlemoyer and Eagle Point Roads in Greenwich and Maxatawny Townships, Berks County, $2.3-2.5 million (estimate);
- Resurfacing of Route 903/North Street between Front and Center Streets in the Borough of Jim Thorpe, Carbon County, $1-1.2 million (est.);
- Resurfacing of Route 29/Cedar Crest Boulevard from Chestnut Street to Briarwood Lane in Emmaus Borough and Salisbury Township, Lehigh County, $2-3 million (est.);
- Replacement of Route 329 “Cementon” Bridge over the Lehigh River in Whitehall Township, Lehigh County and Borough of Northampton, Northampton County, $13-15 million (estimate);
- Resurfacing of Route 873 from Route 309 to Iron Alley in Borough of Slatington, North Whitehall and Washington Townships, Lehigh County, $3-4 million (est.);
- Resurfacing of Highway 33 between the Northampton County line and Lower Cherry Valley Road in Hamilton and Ross Townships, Monroe County, $5.9-6.2 million (est.)
- Resurfacing of Business Route 209 between Eagle Valley Corner and Marshalls Creek in Smithfield Township, Monroe County, $2.2-2.4 million (estimate);
- Realignment and reconstruction of the I-80 Exit 308/Prospect Street interchange in the Borough of East Stroudsburg, Monroe County, $93.8 million;
- Resurfacing of Route 61 between Mill Creek Avenue and University Drive in the City of Pottsville, Borough of Palo Alto, Borough of Schuylkill Haven and Township of North Manheim, Schuylkill County, $5.9-6.1 million (est. );
- Resurfacing of US 209 between Patterson Street and the Carbon County line in the Boroughs of Tamaqua and Coaldale, Schuylkill County, $1.9-2.1 million; and
- Replacement of the Route 443/Columbia Street Bridge over the Schuylkill River in the Borough of Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill County, $4.2 million.
As construction projects are underway in the area, the traveling public can expect to see many work areas and are urged to keep their safety and that of road workers in mind. When you encounter a work zone, please obey the posted speed limit, use your headlights, pay close attention to signs and flaggers, and avoid distractions. In high traffic areas, motorists are encouraged to use both lanes of traffic until the point of merge and take turns joining the open lane.
Motorists can check conditions on major roads by visiting www.511PA.com. The 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to over 1,000 traffic cameras.
511PA is also available through a smartphone app for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1 or following regional Twitter alerts.
Information about District 5 infrastructure, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.pa.gov/D5Results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.
Follow local PennDOT on Twitter and like the department on Facebook and Instagram.
