Kathy Liebler                         Director of Public Information

    C   O   M   M   I   S   S   I   O   N                N   E   W   S             R   E   L   E   A   S   E

      CONTACT: Christina M. Hampton (610) 292-3785                           May 21, 1997

PTC AWARDS $7 MILLION IN CONTRACTS FOR EXPANSION OF QUAKERTOWN INTERCHANGE

        PHILADELPHIA, PA -- The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission today awarded $7 million in construction contracts for the rehabilitation and expansion of the Quakertown Interchange (exit 32). The Quakertown Interchange, located on the Turnpike's Northeast Extension approximately 24 miles north of the junction where the mainline Turnpike and the Northeast Extension meet, was built in 1955.

        Turnpike Executive Director John T. Durbin said, "I-476 and the Turnpike's Mid-County Interchange have had a tremendous impact on economic growth in the communities surrounding the Quakertown Interchange. We're excited about replacing the facility with a new state-of-the-art Interchange that will ease congestion and help traffic flow smoothly through the area."

        Nyleve Bridge Corporation, based in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, received the general construction award totaling approximately $6.3 million. The company, which was the lowest bidder, will coordinate all construction work performed at the 41-year old Interchange.

        Rehabilitation of the Quakertown Interchange will include a new toll plaza, canopy, utility building, sewer and water service lines, roadway and plaza lighting, a utility tunnel and the rehabilitation and construction of roadway and Turnpike ramps.

        When completed the new Interchange will have a total of eight lanes including three entry lanes, four exit lanes and one reversible lane. In addition to the general construction contract, contracts were also awarded to low bidders Guy M. Cooper, Inc. of Willow Grove, PA for the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) work totaling $272,425 and to Armour and Sons Electric, Inc. Langhorne, PA for the electrical work whose bid totaled $366,786. The award for plumbing went to Trident Mechanical Contractors, Inc. at the low bid of $69,440.

        Work on the Quakertown Interchange, located in Milford Township, Bucks County, is scheduled to begin in late June 1996, and is to be completed in November of 1997. Turnpike officials said that the existing number of entry and exit lanes at Quakertown will remain open throughout construction.

        However, motorists are advised that due to construction "no parking" will be permitted along the ramps at the Quakertown Interchange. The restrictions will be implemented prior to the start of the rehabilitation project and continue after the completion of the project.

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