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: Lowman S. Henry                          February 3, 1998
(717) 939-9551 Ext. # 2934

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TURNPIKE REPAVING CONTRACTS AWARDED
Pennsylvania Turnpike Prepares for 1998 Construction Season

Harrisburg (PA) -- The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has approved the awarding of $13.4 million in highway resurfacing contracts for work to be performed during the 1998 construction season. Over 40 miles of the Turnpike's mainline and Northeastern Extension will be repaved as a result of the four separate construction projects. Work on the projects will begin in about six weeks, weather permitting.

The Commission plans to award contracts for an additional 35 miles of resurfacing work to be undertaken later this year, bringing to 75 the total number of Turnpike miles to be resurfaced during 1998. That is an increase in resurfacing activity compared to 58 miles which were resurfaced in 1997, and 36 miles of bituminous overlay laid down in 1996.

"Last year, for the first time ever, the Commission adopted a twelve-year capital improvements plan to systematically improve and upgrade the Pennsylvania Turnpike," said Turnpike Executive Director John T. Durbin. "These resurfacing projects are part of that plan. A number of other major projects, including work on the Schuylkill River Bridge/Diamond Run Viaduct and the first section of the original Turnpike total rebuild project (near Donegal), will also be getting underway this year."

Among the resurfacing contracts awarded by the Turnpike Commissioners today for the 1998 construction season were:

* Milepost 312.35 to milepost 318.37 (mainline) in Chester County in the amount of $2,149,531 to Haines and Kibblehouse, Inc. and Windsor Service, Inc., of Skippack.

* Milepost 235.60 to milepost 245.73 (mainline) in Cumberland County in the amount of $2,402,163 to Hempt Brothers, Inc., of Camp Hill.

* Milepost A-11.15 to milepost A-29.03 (Northeastern Extension) in Montgomery, Bucks and Lehigh counties in the amount of $5,593,879 to Glasgow, Inc. of Glenside.

* Milepost A-68.48 to milepost A-75.18 (Northeastern Extension) in Carbon County in the amount of $3,269,242 to Slusser Brothers Trucking & Excavating, Inc. of West Hazleton.

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