(Harrisburg) The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission today announced that physical construction work will soon get underway on the design/build contract awarded to Loftus Construction Company this fall for the replacement of the structures that carry Kriebel Road (Township Road 395) in Towamencin Township and Bethel Road (State Route 3006) in Worcester Township over the Turnpike mainline, I-476. The Kriebel and Bethel overhead bridges are the first of seven scheduled for demolition and reconstruction in conjunction with the ongoing Northeastern Extension total reconstruction and widening project from the Mid-County Interchange to the Lansdale Interchange in Montgomery County.

Detours for both bridges will be implemented early January 2008 when the demolition work is scheduled to start. The detour for the Kriebel Road bridge will redirect traffic over State Route 63 (Sumneytown Pike/County Road), Kriebel Road, and Bustard Road. The detour for the Bethel Road bridge will take traffic over State Route 2001/Morris Road, State Route 202, State Route 73. Both bridge replacement projects are scheduled for completion by year-end.

Also, due to the nature of the work, there will be occasions when the 10.5 mile mainline from the Mid-County Interchange to the Lansdale Interchange will be closed to turnpike traffic in both north and southbound directions, known as "Plan X". A staged Plan X traffic control pattern will be implemented in conjunction with certain construction activities and will take place in early Sunday morning hours when traffic is lightest. Advance public notification of a staged Plan X will be provided by way of the print and broadcast media as well as E-Bulletins and postings on the Turnpike website at www.paturnpike.com.

Effective Monday, January 7, 2008, questions and/or concerns regarding the Kreibel Road or Bethel Road bridge replacement projects can be directed to the Turnpike Commission's construction project hotline at 1-877-855-2545 on a 24-hour basis, Sunday through Saturday. For additional project information, visit the project web site at www.paturnpike.com. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission urges the motoring public to stay alert and to travel at posted speed limits through all highway work zone areas.