Design & Construction Details

Mainline Widening Construction Activities

Current Activities: Winter 2024

• Excavating and reconstructing the new eastbound and westbound outside lanes and shoulders
• Installing stormwater drainage pipes and inlets and drainage basins
• Constructing new sound walls along the westbound shoulder between mileposts 313.4 and 313.9
• Constructing retaining walls in both directions to support Turnpike widening
• Constructing the outside sections of new bridges over the Downingtown Interchange ramps, Conestoga Road (PA 401), and Pine Creek Road

Construction Update: Winter 2024

Stage 2 Construction to Widen Turnpike Underway East of Downingtown

Winter 2024 – Preparation and set up of a safe work zone wrapped up this fall under the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s $214 million project to widen and reconstruct 4.5 miles of the Turnpike (I-76) between mileposts 312 and 316 in Upper Uwchlan, Uwchlan, West Pikeland, and Charlestown townships, in Chester County.

• Excavating and reconstructing the new eastbound and westbound outside lanes and shoulders (see right)
• Installing stormwater drainage pipes and inlets and drainage basins
• Constructing new sound walls along the westbound shoulder between mileposts 313.4 and 313.9
• Constructing retaining walls in both directions to support Turnpike widening
• Constructing the outside sections of new bridges over the Downingtown Interchange ramps, Conestoga Road (PA 401), and Pine Creek Road

Two new sediment basins on the westbound side of the highway near Davis Road have been completed (see below).

Nightly lane closures may be in place periodically on Monday through Friday from 7:00 PM to 6:00 AM the following morning in both directions on the Turnpike for Stage 2 construction to widen and perform other work in the eastbound and westbound shoulder areas.

Pine Creek Road remains closed between Davis Road and Worthington Road until mid-summer 2024 to allow work crews to demolish and reconstruct the Turnpike overpass. During the closure, motorists will detour to Worthington Road, Newcomen Road, Conestoga Road, and then Upper Pine Creek Road.  Click here to view the detour map and travel advisory.

Bridges over the Turnpike within the project limits — Bodine Road and Valley Hill Road (SR 1021) — were replaced during a previous contract from 2010-2013. These advanced bridge replacements will reduce the amount of time needed to complete mainline reconstruction.

Local road detours are in place in West Pikeland and Uwchlan townships to allow work to be completed on Pine Creek Road and Davis Road. Message boards providing notifications of upcoming road closures will be set up prior to the start of additional local detours. Closures and detours also will be announced through news releases to local media, posted on the project website, and sent to the project’s email subscribers.

For questions about ongoing construction or other issues related to this project, email us at Tpk312-316@bergcomm.com, or call Toll Free at 866-528-4181.

MP312-316 Schedule

Construction Staging

Pre-Construction: Fall 2022

The PTC completed a tree-clearing contract in late fall 2022 within the limits of their right-of-way in advance of the upcoming construction project. The reason for performing the work at this time is due to environmental regulations, which require that cutting down trees greater than 4 inches in diameter must occur between the months of November and March due to the presence of long-eared bats, which are an endangered species in this region. In order to not impact the schedule of the upcoming construction project, the PTC initiated a separate contract to remove the trees within the allowable time of year. The felled trees will be collected and turned into wood chips during early Stage 1 construction.

Stage 1 Construction: Spring/Summer 2023

• Install advance signing
• Reconstruct inside shoulders
• Place construction barrier along outside edges of existing EB and WB lanes
• Install environmental controls

Travel Impacts:

• Maintain two lanes in each direction
• Periodic off-peak single-lane closures in either or both directions

Stage 2 Construction: Late 2023 to Late 2025

• Excavation for construction of new EB and WB outside third lanes and shoulders
• Install stormwater drainage pipes and inlets and drainage basins
• Construct new EB and WB third lanes
• Construction of new sound walls and retaining walls along the EB and WB directions of the Turnpike
• Construct outside sections of new bridges over Downingtown Interchange Ramps, PA401 (Conestoga Road), and Pine Creek Road

Travel Impacts:

• Maintain two EB and WB lanes on the Turnpike
• Periodic off-peak single-lane closures in either or both directions
• PA401(Conestoga Road): Temporary nighttime lane closures
• Pine Creek Road: Detour for bridge reconstruction
• Davis Road: Detour for drainage reconstruction
• Downingtown Interchange: Off-peak on and off-ramp closures for ramp reconstruction

Stage 3 Construction: Late 2025 to Mid-2027

• Shift two lanes of EB and two lanes of WB traffic to the newly reconstructed EB and WB lanes and shoulders
• Remove existing median barrier
• Excavate existing EB and WB travel lanes
• Install stormwater drainage pipes and inlets
• Reconstruct the existing two EB and WB travel lanes
• Construct new median, median barrier
• Construct inside sections of new bridges over Downingtown Interchange Ramps, PA401 (Conestoga Road), and Pine Creek Road

Travel Impacts:

• Maintain two EB and WB lanes
• Periodic off-peak single-lane closures in either or both directions
• PA401(Conestoga Road): Temporary nighttime lane closures
• Pine Creek Road: Detour for bridge reconstruction
• Downingtown Interchange: Off-peak on and off-ramp closures for ramp reconstruction

Bridge Replacements

This project includes the replacement of three mainline bridges, which carry the Turnpike over local or state roads. The following structures will be replaced during the mainline construction:

• Pine Creek Road
• SR401 (Conestoga Road)
• Downingtown Interchange Ramps