Travel Advisory

    October 31, 2016

 

Lehigh Tunnel Scheduled to Close November 1
Daytime tunnel maintenance to impact traffic on I-476 in Carbon County.

 

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission advises motorists traveling the Northeastern Extension (I-476) to be prepared for daytime single-lane patterns and two-way traffic in the northbound Lehigh Tunnel on Nov. 1 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for tunnel maintenance.

Between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. on Nov. 1, Turnpike maintenance crews will implement a traffic stoppage of no more than 15 minutes in both directions to set a crossover pattern directing all traffic into the northbound tunnel.

By 8 a.m. the southbound tunnel will be closed and all traffic diverted into the northbound tunnel until 2 p.m. when the patterns are lifted. The Lehigh Tunnel is located at milepost A70-A71 between the Lehigh Valley, Exit 56, and Mahoning Valley, Exit 74, interchanges in Carbon County.

Message boards will be activated to update motorists of any changes to the schedule caused by inclement weather or unforeseen traffic conditions. If the work is delayed, it will take place on the next available day.

Motorists traveling on I-476 should stay alert when entering the tunnel and turn on their headlights. Drivers are also advised to slow down, keep an adequate distance from the vehicle ahead and never pass inside the tunnel. Customers who experience car trouble and cannot safely exit the tunnel should stay in the car, put on the hazard lights and wait for assistance. Tunnel personnel will monitor closed-circuit cameras and send help for disabled vehicles.

To report an accident or other emergencies on the PA Turnpike, dial *11 on your mobile phone. To learn more about PA Turnpike conditions or to contact us, use one of these resources:

ON THE PA TURNPIKE

·        Variable & Digital Message Signs — nearly 100 signs along the Turnpike

·        Highway Advisory Radio — 1640 AM (tune-in near interchanges)

BY PHONE

·        Turnpike Roadway Information Program (toll-free) — 866-976-TRIP (8747)

·        Customer Assistance Center (toll-free) — 800-331-3414 (weekdays, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.)

ON THE WEB

·        TRIPTalk — free, travel-alert smartphone app; download at https://www.paturnpike.com/travel/trip_talk.aspx

·        Travel Conditions Map — live, interactive conditions map; view at https://www.paturnpike.com/webmap

·        Waze  — a crowd-sourced navigation app that provides real-time traffic conditions with input from other drivers; download at https://www.waze.com

 

 
CONTACT: Kathleen Walter
Phone: 610.313.6383