A 35-mile stretch of the Interstate 76/I-70 mainline between Bedford and Somerset will be closed to westbound traffic between midnight Saturday and 5 am Sunday so that crews can repair pavement damaged March 10 when a tractor-trailer crashed at Milepost 119 in eastern Somerset County.
The accident occurred in an area where travel lanes already are tight because of an ongoing total reconstruction project and the westbound closure is necessary for safety considerations. Weather permitting, workers will be milling the right westbound lane and placing a new bituminous overlay.
Message boards have been placed to inform customers of the westbound closure. Highway Advisory Radio broadcasts also are being used to inform travelers of the situation.
Toll collectors at the Bedford interchange will hand out information on the recommended alternate route for westbound traffic that will be diverted off of the Turnpike at Bedford (Exit 145).
The recommended detour is Business Route 220 North (.2 miles) to Route 220 South (2.6 miles) to U.S. Route 30 West (3.2 miles) to Pa. Route 31 West (34 miles). Westbound traffic will be able to re-enter the Turnpike at Somerset from Route 31 West.
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