TURNPIKE TO SPEND $514 MILLION ON CAPITAL PROJECTS

Travelers Will See Major Roadway Improvements

By Kathy Leibler

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission recently announced a Capital Planning program that earmarks $514 million in funding for highway, infrastructure and information technology projects over the next four years.

Commission officials said they will spend $403 million to initiate 67 major mainline highway projects which will be undertaken through the year 2001. The activities will include roadway resurfacing, design and reconstruction, bridge rehabilitation, tunnel projects, and toll plaza expansions and improvements.

Commission Executive Director John Durbin said, "This is the first time in the Commission's 57 year history, that we have formally adopted a long-range capital plan. The planning program provides us a blueprint for future highway, infrastructure and information technology projects. We have taken the important and necessary steps of setting our priorities and undertaking projects that will meet those priorities over the next four years. This is a crucial effort as we prepare to meet the transportation needs of the 21st century."

Major highway projects presented in the plan and scheduled over the next four years include resurfacing 156 miles of roadway, reconstructing 15 miles of the original segment of Turnpike (Irwin to Carlisle), a $35 million rehabilitation of the Diamond Run/Schuylkill River Bridges, a $16 million redecking of the Delaware River Bridge, the completed rehabilitation of four toll plazas and lighting replacement at the Tuscarora Tunnel, the Blue Mountain Tunnel and the Kittatinny Tunnel.

Information Technology projects, amounting to more than $36 million over the next four years, will lay the foundation for electronic toll collection on the Turnpike. Projects include the development of a communications infrastructure and an integrated toll collection system with data over video toll enforcement. The system will serve the Turnpike's 506 miles of roadway including the Mainline (I-76 & I-276) from Ohio to New Jersey, Northeastern extension (I-476), and Western Pennsylvania's Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass, (Turnpike 66), James E. Ross Expressway, (Turnpike 60) and the James Manderino Expressway, (Turnpike 43).

The Turnpike Commission will direct $24.2 million toward an upgraded Communications Center and the development of a Turnpike-wide advanced travelers information system that includes variable message signs, highway advisory radio and closed circuit television cameras. Officials said the electronically operated equipment will be installed at interchanges where the Turnpike intersects major Interstate highways.

Officials outlined $75 million worth of top priority projects that will enhance the Turnpike's infrastructure including a $28 million initiative to improve and expand service plazas and parking lots. More than $30 million has been earmarked for the construction of maintenance facilities and the rehabilitation and expansion of the Turnpike's main administration building located in Highspire.

Durbin emphasized that the Capital Projects will be completely funded by operating earnings from toll revenue and existing fund balances. He explained that although major projects and needs have been identified for the remaining eight years of the 12-year plan, the Commission must continue to analyze costs and funding before it can establish priorities and commit capital funding beyond the year 2001.

"However, the safety, comfort and satisfaction of our customers are highest on our priority list," Durbin said. "We want travelers to know that the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will continue to make the maximum effort necessary to meet their needs."

DELAWARE RIVER BRIDGE
Over the next several years, the Pennsylvania portion of the Delaware River Bridge will be redecked. Design and construction for the bridge redecking project will be divided into three parts:

The main arch truss section of the Delaware River Bridge, which is about 682 feet long, will be the first section to be redecked. Design for that section is currently underway and is expected to be completed in January of 1998. Parsons Brinckerhoff of Philadelphia are the design consultants.

The existing bridge deck will be replaced with a new cast-in-place concrete deck using a three stage process. Construction is scheduled to begin in June, 1998 and conclude in July, 1999. Estimated cost for the main arch truss section of the bridge is $4.62 million.

The deck truss spans will be the next part of the bridge to be redecked. This section of the bridge is approximately 1724 feet long. Design for the deck truss spans is scheduled to begin in January, 1998 and conclude in April, 1999. Construction will begin in September, 1999 and conclude in June, 2001. Estimated cost for the deck truss is $9.2 million.

The third part of the bridge to be redecked will be the girder spans of the bridge which are 1,240 feet in length. Design is scheduled to begin in January of 2000 and conclude in March, 2001. Construction for the girder spans is scheduled to get underway in August of 2001 and be completed in October, 2002. Estimated costs for the girder spans section of the bridge is $6.5 million.

The Delaware River Bridge carries a 76'6" roadway over 31 spans with a total length of 6,571 feet. The existing roadway provides two traffic lanes and a full right shoulder in the eastbound and westbound directions. The main span provides a shipping channel that is 400 feet wide and 135 feet above the Delaware River.

The Delaware River Bridge connects the New Jersey and Pennsylvania turnpikes. The bridge is jointly owned and maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. It was first opened to traffic in 1956.

Total cost for the redecking of the Pennsylvania portion of the Delaware River Bridge is $20.3 million.

LEHIGH VALLEY INTERCHANGE
Total reconstruction and expansion is scheduled to begin in early 1998 on the Lehigh Valley Interchange which is located on the Turnpike's Northeastern Extension (I-476). Construction will include a new toll plaza area, a new toll plaza building, public sewer and public water connections, reconstruction of the ramp bridge over US Route 22, ramp improvements and new interchange lighting.

The interchange toll plaza will be expanded from eight to 13 lanes and access from Tilghman Street to the toll plaza will be improved. During construction, traffic will be maintained through the plaza; however, a two month detour will occur during the reconstruction of the ramp bridge over US Route 22. Signing will be posted to alert customers of any project restrictions. There will be no customer parking at the interchange during construction.

The Lehigh Valley Interchange is located on the Turnpike's Northeastern Extension (I-476) at milepost A-37.2 in south Whitehall and Upper Macungie Townships, Lehigh County. It connects the Pennsylvania Turnpike directly to U.S. Route 22 and indirectly to I-78. The interchange was originally built in the late 1950's. Estimated cost for the reconstruction of the interchange is $11.5 million.

HICKORY RUN SERVICE PLAZA
The Hickory Run Service Plaza is slated for renovation during 1998. The project will include the construction and expansion of the automobile, bus and truck parking areas and respective entrance and exit ramps. When completed, the plaza's parking capacity will be increased by 178 additional automobile spaces, two bus spaces, and 27 truck spaces.

Plaza upgrades will also include replacement of the drainage system, better plaza lighting, and new landscaping.

Most of the construction will take place during the spring and fall. Motorists should expect some parking restrictions while construction is underway. Signs will be posted alerting customers to those restrictions.

Hickory Run Service Plaza, which is located at milepost A. 66.1 on the Northeast Extension between the Mahoning Valley (Exit # 34) and Pocono (Exit # 35) interchanges in Penn Forest Township, Carbon County, can be reached by both north and southbound motorists.

The estimated cost of renovations to the Hickory Run Service Plaza, which was originally built in the 1950's, is $5.5 million.

NEW STANTON SERVICE PLAZA
Rehabilitation and expansion of the New Stanton Service Plaza near the New Stanton (Exit # 8) Interchange will get underway no later than spring of 1998. The project will include expansion and resurfacing of the plaza's parking lot, upgrading of drainage facilities, placement of new signs and new lighting.

The parking lot expansion will result in an enlarged truck parking area which will allow trucks greater maneuverability throughout the entire plaza. The parking lot rehabilitation will include milling of the existing parking lot and resurfacing. Existing islands will be removed and the automobile parking area will be reconfigured.

Other improvements will include extended entrance and exit ramps, a designated area for bus parking and modification of pedestrian sidewalks, including ramps for the handicapped.

LANCASTER COUNTY BRIDGE REPAIRS
Next year, the Turnpike Commission plans to begin a two year construction project involving the widening and deck replacement of three bridges, located in Lancaster County. The first bridge, located at milepost 282.4 is a five span structure that carries the Turnpike over Township Road and Cocalico Creek in West Cocalico Township, Lancaster County. The second bridge at milepost 283.06 is a five span structure that carries the Turnpike over the Lancaster Northern Railroad and Little Cocalico Creek in East Cocalico Township and the Borough of Denver, Lancaster County. The third bridge, located at milepost 283.23, is a single span structure that carries the Turnpike over State Route 1055 in East Cocalico Township and Denver Borough.

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