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Milepost 312-316 Reconstruction - Improvements

Milepost 312-316 Reconstruction Improvements
  • Overview
  • News
  • Improvements
  • Construction
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Improvements

Total reconstruction projects aim to address crucial issues to ensure safer and more efficient roadways. These projects involve the complete replacement of the pavement structure, safety and drainage upgrades, and widening to improve capacity. Additionally, they include replacing all bridges in the project corridor to meet current design standards. 

The reconstruction also addresses maintenance challenges such as milling and paving, which previously required extensive roadwork and exposed workers to traffic risks. Increasing the roadway's capacity is particularly important in high-traffic areas near Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and the Northeast Extension approaching Allentown, where six lanes are needed to handle growing traffic demands. Completing this corridor with three lanes in each direction will eliminate bottlenecks and enhance the overall flow of traffic. 

Project Benefits

Our projects are designed to bring significant improvements and benefits to the PA Turnpike. Each project aims to enhance the efficiency, safety, and overall experience for all travelers. Below are the project benefits for this project:

SafetySafety

PavementPavement Condition

CapacityCapacity

Corridor CompletionCorridor Completion

Overhead Bridge Reconstruction

Reconstructing overhead bridges is essential to make way for the widening of the PA Turnpike below, which will improve safety and road conditions.  See below for a list of both active and upcoming bridge reconstruction projects.

Valley Hill Road Bridge (Milepost 316)

Valley Hill Road (SR 1021) Overhead Bridge was rebuilt in 2013, lengthening the span to clear the future six-lane roadway and adding crash-tested barriers and full shoulders. No construction impacts remain today.

Bodine Road Bridge (Milepost 314)

Bodine Road Overhead Bridge (local road over the Turnpike) was replaced in 2012 as an advance contract to accommodate future widening. The new structure provides higher clearance and a wider deck, eliminating the former steel girders and narrow lanes.

Roadway Reconstruction & Widening

Below is a Typical Section graphic showing the configuration before and after a total reconstruction and widening project.

At project completion, the new roadway will accommodate three travel lanes in each direction, a 26-foot median, and 12-foot outside shoulders.

testing

Turnpike TV Videos

Check out Turnpike TV, the PA Turnpike’s video series highlighting our projects, daily operations, and team members. Watch below and visit our Turnpike TV page for the full series.

Total Reconstruction Video

Total Reconstruction

Construction

Construction

Documents

Explore our additional project documents for more information.

Construction Staging Plan

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

Noise Impact Analysis: June 2020

The Noise Analysis Impact Report for this project was originally released in May 2014 updated in June 2020. This report describes the methodology and presents the findings of the traffic noise study conducted for the full-depth reconstruction and widening project for the Milepost 311.60 to Milepost 316.19 project. . Noise impacts were identified in two areas and, upon further consideration, it has been determined that noise walls are a reasonable and feasible noise mitigation tool for these areas. 

Noise Wall Design Survey: August 2022

  • Noise Wall Survey Results (Aug 2022): Graphic
  • Survey Summary Article: Resident preferences for ashlar-stone texture and color treatments that will guide final wall aesthetics.

Sound Barrier Maps

  • Proposed Sound Barrier Map – NSA 4: View Map
  • Proposed Sound Barrier Map – NSA 5: View Map

Improvements FAQs

When will the noise walls be built and what will they look like?

The contractor that successfully bids on the project will determine when the noise walls are constructed. Usually, construction access and noise wall fabrication schedules influence the contractor’s decision on when to construct the noise walls.

The PA Turnpike held a community meeting with the property owners bordering proposed noise wall locations to provide them with the opportunity to vote on noise wall color and texture.

The noise walls will consist of concrete panels with steel or concrete posts. The panels utilize a form-liner to provide texture and a stain is applied for color. Anti-graffiti coatings are added in an effort to reduce the possibility of unsightly graffiti. 

The final colors, textures, and other information about noise walls for the noise walls on this project can be found in the Noise Wall Design Survey linked in the Documents section on this page.

How did you determine where the noise walls are located?

Please watch our Noise Wall video to learn more about how the PA Turnpike determines where sound barriers will be located. The final locations for the noise walls on this project can be found in the Noise Wall Design Survey linked in the Documents section on this page.

What are you doing to protect the environment?

In addition to coordinating with the local townships, the PA Turnpike is working with local, state, and federal regulatory agencies such as the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and the US Army Corps of Engineers as well as local special interest groups to make sure the project design progresses with the least impact to the environment. The entire project is located in three different High Quality watersheds and one Exceptional Value Watershed. These types of watersheds are waters of special protection requiring an increased level of effort for permitting.

More Project Resources

Overview

Learn about this construction project.

Learn More

News

Learn the latest news about this project.

Stay Updated

Improvements

Learn about project improvements.

Learn More

Contact

Meet the team for this project.

Contact Team

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