Temporary lanes changes announced for I-80 work east of Bellefonte Interchange
BELLEFONTE, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has provided an update for its Local Interchange/Route 26 (Jacksonville Road) project in Centre County. The work zone, located along I-80 near the Bellefonte/161 interchange, may affect traffic flow; those changes as part of the $52 million project will begin on Tuesday.
Traffic control measures for the coming week are as follows:
• Starting Tuesday, September 7, the contractor will begin overnight work on I-80 westbound. This work may require the contractor to close the right (travel) lane in some instances. In these instances, all westbound traffic will utilize the temporary crossover. PennDOT does not expect the new traffic pattern to result in any significant travel delays but urges motorists to exercise caution and be on the lookout for construction vehicles entering or exiting the work zone.
• On I-80 eastbound, the left (passing) lane is closed. Concrete barriers divert traffic onto the travel lane and outside shoulder. This long-term setup will be in place through the summer.
Work this season includes completion of basin construction in the median, completion of northern ramps, full depth reconstruction of I-80 westbound bridge piers and northern abutment, and construction of the connector road between I-80 and Route 26.
The I-80/Route 26 local interchange project is east of Bellefonte and is part of a long-awaited safety-improvement in Centre County. HRI, Inc. of State College is the contractor on this $52 million project, which will run through October of 2022. Up-to-date information is available on the project page at www.penndot.gov/jacksonvilleroad
The local interchange project is the first phase of a three-phase project to build local access, a high-speed interchange connection between I-99 and I-80, and complete improvements to Jacksonville Road. PennDOT announced the project received $35 million in federal Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant money in July 2018. Completing all three phases will support regional freight economy and improve the reliability of roadway travel throughout the region.
