Early Morning Closure at Wilkes-Barre Interchange for Toll Booth Demolition
Early Morning Closure at Wilkes-Barre Interchange for Toll Booth Demolition
Work scheduled outside peak hours to minimize traffic impacts for customers
LUZERNE
COUNTY, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PA Turnpike) advises
motorists traveling on the Northeast Extension (Interstate 476) that the
Wilkes-Barre Interchange (Exit 105) will be closed in both directions from
midnight until 5 a.m. on Sunday, March 22, 2026.
These closures
will allow crews to remove the overhead toll plaza canopy and gantry at the
interchange as part of the toll booth demolition and interchange reconstruction
process for
Open Road Tolling (ORT). During the closure, drivers should go to the
next entry point or find an alternative route.
Open Road Tolling is a cashless, free-flowing mode of
collecting tolls without traditional toll plazas or toll booths. In an ORT
system, tolls are charged electronically as customers drive at highway speeds
without slowing down or stopping beneath overhead structures — called gantries
— located between interchanges.
Now that ORT is
live East of Reading and on the Northeast Extension, the PA Turnpike is
removing toll plazas from interchange locations, the driving force behind the
safety benefits. With toll booths removed, there will be a more natural, free
traffic flow. Once the toll plazas are removed, each interchange will be
reconstructed to provide an unobstructed traffic flow for customers. The
reconstruction of interchanges, which includes the removal of toll booths,
east of Reading and on the Northeast Extension will be completed by the end of
2026.
Pennsylvania
State Police and PA Turnpike personnel will be positioned at the impacted areas
to assist drivers. Changeable message signs will also provide information on
this closure. Motorists are encouraged to plan travel accordingly. Work
schedules are subject to change based on weather conditions.
To report an
incident or other emergency on the PA Turnpike, dial *11 via mobile phone. To
learn more about PA Turnpike conditions, use one of these resources:
ON THE TURNPIKE
511PA Smartphone App: real-time, hands-free PA traffic advisories
Changeable Message Signs: more than 200 boards along the Turnpike
ON THE WEB
511/511pa.com: live, interactive map
X/Twitter: @PATurnpikeAlert
BY PHONE
511: dial from any PA roadway for local travel information
Pennsylvania
Turnpike Customer Assistance Center: 877-736-6727, Monday through Friday, 7
a.m. to 5 p.m.
A national transportation leader, the Pennsylvania Turnpike (PA Turnpike) is the second largest tolling facility in the United States with the most miles. The PA Turnpike proudly supports safety and convenience for its more than 550,000 daily customers through 24-7 roadside assistance, round-the-clock food and fuel at 17 service plazas and a dedicated maintenance force and State Police Troop. The PA Turnpike’s approximately 1,400-person local workforce is unified in its mission; to operate a safe, reliable, customer-valued toll road system that supports national mobility and commerce. For more information about the PA Turnpike’s mission, vision and values, please visit Home | PA Turnpike.
Media Contacts:
Marissa Orbanek, Press Secretary: (267) 408-5151, morbanek@paturnpike.com
Crispin
Havener, Assistant Press Secretary: (717) 870-2841, chavener@paturnpike.com