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C O M M I S S I O N N E W S R E L E A S E |
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Carl DeFebo
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March 26, 2009 |
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TRAFFIC ADVISORY Bridge Demolitions to Close PA Turnpike Five Hours Starting Late Saturday NightBreezewood to Carlisle stretch to shut down from 11 p.m. Saturday until 4 a.m. Sunday. |
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HARRISBURG, PA (03/26/2009; 1550)(readMedia)-- The Pennsylvania Turnpike cautions motorists that a 65-mile stretch of toll road will be closed in both directions for five hours this weekend between Breezewood (Exit #161) and Carlisle (Exit #226) to allow contractors to demolish two Cumberland County Turnpike bridges. Beginning at 11 p.m. on Saturday, March 28, eastbound Turnpike traffic will be diverted off at Breezewood Interchange, Bedford County. At 11:30 p.m., westbound Turnpike traffic will be diverted off at Carlisle Interchange, Cumberland County. Exiting motorists will receive a card with directions to get back onto the Turnpike. It is estimated the detour will add 30 minutes of travel time and 33 miles to the trip. Such an extensive detour is required because shorter alternate routes cannot safely accommodate the diverted traffic volumes. The closure will also affect traffic entering at the three interchanges between Carlisle and Breezewood. There will be no entry onto the Turnpike at the Blue Mountain Interchange (#201), and westbound-only entry for vehicles entering at Willow Hill (#189) and Fort Littleton (#180). The two concrete bridges, both of which will be blasted and replaced, are located at Turnpike milepost 204.25 and 219.90. The milepost 204.25 bridge carries Three Square Hollow Road over the Turnpike in Hopewell Township. The milepost 219.90 bridge carries McAllister Church Road over the Turnpike in West Pennsboro Township. Preparatory work for demolition of the two structures began in January, and new bridges will open to traffic by late November. After all Turnpike traffic is clear of the demolition zone, the contractor will have four hours to complete the blasting . The Turnpike should reopen to one lane in each direction by 4 a.m. on Sunday, March 29. The single-lane restriction is needed to perform cleanup work, and it will affect only the work areas near mileposts 204 and 220. The contractor will have four hours to conduct the cleanup, fully restoring traffic by 8 a.m. Sunday. Leading up to the Saturday-night closure, the contractor will implement single-lane restrictions in both directions near the demolition zones. These lane limitations will begin Saturday at 9 a.m. near the milepost 204 bridge and at 2 p.m. near the milepost 220 bridge, enabling contractors to do preliminary work needed for the demolition of the overpasses which opened in 1940. Motorists traveling this stretch of Turnpike are urged to use caution and remain alert for slow-moving or stopped traffic. This work is weather sensitive, and it would be rescheduled in case of precipitation, high winds or lightning. Another Cumberland County bridge, carrying Dyarman Road above the Turnpike near milepost 222 in North Middleton Township, is being eliminated and will call for a detour in April. All work is being done to accommodate the future reconstruction and widening of the Turnpike. Detour Directions: Westbound motorists exiting at Carlisle will follow Route 11 North to Interstate 81 South into Maryland (58 miles) to Interstate 70 West (48 miles) to Route 30 East, reentering the Turnpike at Breezewood. Eastbound motorists exiting at Breezewood will follow Route 30 West to Interstate 70 East (48 miles) to Interstate 81 North (58 miles) to Route 11 South, reentering the Turnpike at Carlisle.
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