News from Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission

For more information contact: Carl DeFebo, 717-920-7176

PA Turnpike Reschedules Sunday Morning Construction Closure

Detour postponed to early Monday morning to accommodate football traffic.

HARRISBURG, PA (10/26/2007; 1040)(readMedia)-- To accommodate increased traffic expected from a Saturday night Penn State football game, Pennsylvania Turnpike officials have rescheduled a Lancaster County bridge demolition that would have shut down a 40-mile stretch of the road between Harrisburg and Reading early Sunday morning.

Instead, the temporary closure will now be implemented just after midnight on Monday, Oct. 29; the Turnpike will reopen before 6 a.m. Monday.

During this time, the Turnpike will be closed to traffic between the Harrisburg-East (Exit #247) and Reading (Exit #286) Interchanges while crews dismantle the old ramp bridge at the Lebanon/Lancaster Interchange (Exit #266). A new ramp bridge is complete and already in use.

All eastbound and westbound traffic will be diverted off the road at the Harrisburg-East or Reading Interchanges. Also, traffic will be prohibited from entering the Turnpike from Route 72 at the Lebanon/Lancaster Interchange during the same time.

Additionally, there will be eastbound and westbound single-lane patterns and intermittent stoppages in the construction area on Sunday, Oct. 28 from 9 p.m. to midnight before the shutdown.

Exiting motorists will receive an alternate-route card — featuring directions to get back onto the Turnpike — from a collector at the tollbooth. E-ZPass customers should stop to obtain a copy of these directions, too. MOTORISTS CAN TAKE THE FOLLOWING DETOURS:

EASTBOUND TRAFFIC

Exit: Harrisburg East #247

Re-enter: Reading #286

Take PA Route 283 east (29 miles) to PA Route 283/US Route 30 east (1 mile) to US Route 222 north (15 miles). Re-enter the Turnpike at the Reading Interchange (#286).

ALL WESTBOUND TRAFFIC

Exit: Reading #286

Re-enter: Harrisburg East #247

Take US Route 222 south (15 miles) to PA Route 283/US Route 30 west (1 mile) to PA Route 283 west (29 miles). Re-enter the PA Turnpike at Harrisburg East (#247).

TRUCK NOTE: Construction work that will prevent northbound trucks on Route 72 from entering the Turnpike will occur between 9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27 through 9 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 28. Tractor trailers traveling north on Route 72 during this time will have to continue north past the interchange access road, turn around and enter the Turnpike from the southbound direction. State Troopers will be on site to assist and monitor traffic. During this time, crews will be pouring concrete at the intersection of Route 72 and the Turnpike access road; smaller trucks and passenger vehicles will still be able to make the left turn from Route 72 into the tollbooth area.