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

Contact:  

Joe Agnello, (724) 755-5262, (724) 755-5142 fax
e-mail: jagnello@paturnpike.com

September 14, 2000

TRAFFIC ADVISORY:
Single-Lane Restrictions Now in Place on Part of Turnpike 43 
Near California for Pending Reconstruction Project

Single-lane traffic restrictions took effect this week on the Turnpike's Route 43 Expressway near California, PA in preparation for a total reconstruction of a 2.2-mile stretch of the six-mile toll road that is to conclude by August 24, 2001.

The total rebuild is contracted to Norwin Construction of Irwin, PA, the lowest of seven bidders, in the amount of $5,968,447.

Restrictions now in place will allow crews to construct crossover lanes that eventually will be used to channel all traffic to one side of the divided highway while the other set of double lanes is rebuilt.

Construction of the crossovers and concrete repairs to ramps at the Elco interchange will be done this fall. Work will cease (and traffic restrictions will be lifted) for the winter no later than November 21. Activity will resume on or about March 1, 2001. During the 2001 construction season, the crossover lanes will be utilized for the total reconstruction of the expressway between Milepost 32.4 and Milepost 34.6.

The northbound lanes will be reconstructed first while two-directional traffic (one lane northbound and one lane southbound) is maintained in the southbound lanes. An opposite configuration will be utilized for reconstruction of the southbound lanes.

The present concrete pavement structure that is 20 inches deep (including sub-base) is to be replaced with an asphalt pavement structure that will be a minimum of 24 inches deep.

This 2.2 miles of the Mon/Fayette Expressway system in southeastern Washington County was built by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT) between June 1976, and January 1980. PENNDOT also constructed the balance of the six-mile expressway linking Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 40, which opened as a part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike on October 12, 1990.

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 P.O. Box 67676, Harrisburg, PA 17106-7676         Phone: (717) 939-9551         Fax: (717) 986-9649