Public Invited to View Plans for Pa. Turnpike Widening Project in Northern York County

HARRISBURG, PA (04/06/2011)(readMedia)-- The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will host an Open House Plans Display from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13 at the Fairview Township Fire House, 340 Lewisberry Road, New Cumberland, Pa. to display engineering-design plans for the $70 million total reconstruction and six-lane widening of Interstate 76 between milepost 242 and milepost 245 in Fairview Township, York County.

Representatives of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) and its design consultant team will be available to explain details of the project and answer questions on such issues as noise, detours and property impacts. Informational handouts will include an overview of the project, frequently asked questions, and a questionnaire that attendees can use to convey specific comments and concerns in writing.

The goal of the reconstruction and widening project is to enhance the durability and capacity of the Turnpike between the Harrisburg West Interchange (Exit # 242) and the Susquehanna River Bridge; the stretch originally opened to traffic more than 60 years ago. The new roadway will be built for six lanes of traffic and the median widened to 26 feet from its current 10 feet to enhance safety.

This section of Turnpike has seen a steady increase in traffic volumes over the past decade, and it is a popular commuter corridor today with more than 31,000 vehicles a day. In fact, the section carried more than 11 million vehicles last year - that's one million more cars and trucks a year compared to 10 years ago and an overall increase in traffic of 10 percent.

Construction work will include the replacement of the bridge carrying the Turnpike over Lewisberry Road and the bridges carrying Old York and Marsh Run Roads over the Turnpike. The first construction contract for the replacement of Marsh Run Road over the Turnpike is expected to begin in early 2012 and end in late 2012. The widening of the mainline Turnpike is expected to start in March 2013 and be completed in November 2015. Work on the two other bridges will take place as the roadway work is under way.

Construction for the original, 100-mile segment of the Pennsylvania Turnpike from Carlisle, Pa. to Valley Forge, Pa., was begun Sept. 28, 1948. The segment, called the Philadelphia Extension, opened to traffic on Nov. 20, 1950 and cost $87 million to construct.