Kathy Liebler
Manager, Public Affairs & Media Relations

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

Media Contact:  

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

October 21 , 2004

The Pennsylvania Turnpike mainline (Interstate 76) will be closed between the Cranberry and Butler Valley interchanges from midnight Saturday until 4 am Sunday, Oct. 24 for demolition work relating to replacement of the Franklin Road overpass in Pine Township, Allegheny County.

Closure of all travel lanes is necessary so that crews can remove steel girders and concrete piers that are part of the existing bridge’s support structure. Franklin Road (State Route 4052) has been closed at the bridge site since September 7.

Franklin Road crosses over the Turnpike at Milepost 31.2, just east of the Warrendale mainline toll plaza that opened on June 1, 2003, as the new eastern terminus of the Turnpike’s ticket-toll system.

Replacement of the existing span with a concrete box-beam structure is contracted to Swank Associated Companies of New Kensington. The deadline for completion of the $4.1 million project is June 24, 2005.

Starting at midnight Saturday and continuing for a period of four hours, all westbound traffic on I-76 will be forced to exit at Butler Valley (Milepost 39.1) and all eastbound traffic on the Turnpike will be forced to exit at Cranberry (Milepost 28.4).

The posted detour for westbound traffic will be Pa. Route 8 North to Pa. Route 228 West. Motorists will be able to re-enter the Turnpike westbound from the Interstate 79/Interstate 76 Connector just west of where Route 228 crosses over I-79.

Eastbound motorists exiting at Cranberry will be directed to U.S. Route 19 North to Route 228 East to Route 8 South, and re-entry to the Turnpike eastbound at Butler Valley.

###

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