Media & Public Relations


COMMISSION NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Renee Vid Colborn
Phone: 717- 920-7507


August 21, 2013
Two Overnight Closures Scheduled Between Harrisburg East and Harrisburg West Interchanges

Closures on Aug. 25 and 26 needed to accommodate bridge work at milepost 243.24 in York County.
A five-mile section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike will be closed westbound between the Harrisburg East Exit (#247) and the Harrisburg West Exit (#242) starting just after midnight through 6 a.m. on Aug. 25. The closure is needed to safely allow crews to place concrete beams for the new Old York Road Bridge at milepost 243.24 in Fairview Township, York County. For traffic heading eastbound on the turnpike, the left lane will be closed to facilitate setting the beams.

The recommended detour for westbound motorists: Exit at Harrisburg East Interchange (#247); take I-283 north to I-83 south; reenter the turnpike at Harrisburg West Interchange (#242).

The same five-mile section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike will be closed eastbound between Harrisburg West and Harrisburg East starting at 11 p.m. on Aug. 26 through 5 a.m. on Aug. 27 to finish the bridge-beam placement. For traffic heading westbound on the turnpike, the left lane will be closed to facilitate setting the beams.

The recommended detour for eastbound motorists: exit at Harrisburg West Interchange (#242); take I-83 north to I-283 south; reenter the turnpike at Harrisburg East Interchange (#247).

Work schedules are subject to change based on weather conditions and other circumstances.

Alternate-route cards will be available to exiting travelers during each closure. Expect higher traffic volumes on detour roads during the closure. Message boards will be placed to inform customers of the closure, and Highway Advisory Radio broadcasts at station 1640 AM also are being used to inform travelers.

This bridge replacement is expected to be complete in the fall of 2013 and is part of the total reconstruction and widening of the turnpike mainline to three lanes in each direction from milepost 242 to milepost 245. All work is expected to be completed on this total reconstruction project in late fall of 2016 with an estimated construction cost of $75 million.

Turnpike motorists can get up-to-date travel conditions by calling 866-976-TRIP (8747). For a snapshot of conditions across the Turnpike, visit the Interactive Travel Map at www.paturnpike.com/webmap. The Turnpike’s smartphone app, TRIP Talk, streams audio advisories to iPhone and Droid users so they can keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. To download the free app, visit www.paturnpike.com/triptalk.
 

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