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September 8, 2000

Franklin County Reconstruction Project Restarts:
Single-Lane Patterns in Both Directions May Cause Intermittent Weekend Delays

Starting this weekend, the Pennsylvania Turnpike will resume reconstruction work at a project site located between Interchange 13 (Fort Littleton) and 15 (Blue Mountain) in Franklin County. Work had been suspended over the summer to accommodate increased traffic volumes resulting from vacation travel.

Eastbound travel will be restricted to a single lane for six miles from milepost 186 (just prior to the entrance of the Tuscarora Tunnel) to milepost 192. Westbound travel will be restricted to a single lane for five miles from milepost 192 to milepost 187 (just prior to the entrance of the Tuscarora Tunnel).

Eastbound travel in the project area was restricted to a single lane earlier this week. Westbound traffic will crossover into a single lane on the eastbound roadway beginning early Saturday, Sept. 9. Eastbound and westbound traffic will remain in a single-lane limitation until Thanksgiving. During this three-month phase, crews will reconstruct a four-mile section of the westbound lane.

Traffic delays are most likely to occur for westbound traffic on Fridays between 2 p.m. and 11 p.m. and for eastbound traffic on Sundays between 2 p.m. and 11 p.m. Motorists are urged to stay alert and be aware of changing traffic patterns and potential stoppages.

"We are doing everything to ensure that traffic flows freely and safely through the project area," said Traffic Engineering Manager Timothy M. Scanlon, P.E. "As long as motorists drive sensibly through the construction zone, obey posted restrictions and heed other warning signs, we can minimize and hopefully avoid any problems."

This project is a part of the total reconstruction of a 10-mile stretch of the 60-year-old Turnpike. Construction crews have already rebuilt six miles of the eastbound and westbound road from milepost 191 to 197. The project — which should be finished by August 2001 — is presently about halfway complete.

For up-to-date information, the Turnpike advises motorists to tune to its Highway Advisory Radio station at 1640AM when alerted by signs. In addition, a temporary station, 530AM, has been set up for those travelling within the construction zone. To get current information on conditions across the Turnpike, motorists can also call 1-800-331-3414 or visit www.paturnpike.com on the worldwide web.

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