KUTZTOWN, Pa., - Lehigh Valley motorists should expect to see some new construction on some major infrastructure projects in the new year.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 5 Executive Michael Rebert said the larger region which comprises Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton and Schuylkill counties, has 60 projects worth more than $500 million already underway that will continue into 2023.
However, that figure doesn't include plans for new construction starting in the next 12 months. And not every one of those projects will make immediate impacts for drivers in the Lehigh Valley.
- PennDOT has earmarked more than $500 million to continue 60 road projects in the Lehigh Valley and neighboring counties
- That doesn't include funding for projects entering construction in the new year
- Some notable projects include repairing the Route 33 bridges of the Bushkill Creek and work on the Race Street Bridge over the Lehigh River
Here's a breakdown of some of the more relevant local projects that will continue or begin in 2023:
The Cementon Bridge - The 90-year-old bridge that carries about 15,000 vehicles across the Lehigh River every day between Whitehall Township and Northampton on Route 329 is in dire straights.
"We can't replace it fast enough," Rebert said.
Federal records show the bridge is in "intolerable condition" due to issues with its deck and superstructure. It's old design also means its not up to PennDOT's modern standards.
Construction should start sometime in the spring, Rebert said. The new bridge has a $17 million price tag, according to the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission. Due to high traffic, PennDOT plans to build the replacement bridge alongside the new one. Once work is complete, traffic will be diverted onto the new bridge so work crews can take apart the old bridge.
Route 33 bridges - Two bridges carry traffic over the Bushkill Creek just south of the Stockertown interchange. But the geology of the area has created problems. Back in 2004, sinkholes caused the the bridge carrying northbound traffic to sink six inches, forcing PennDOT to close it for emergency repairs.
Conditions from the creek and groundwater are still difficult 18 years later. Along with making repairs, PennDOT engineers plan to install special foundations and injection wells in hopes of moderating the groundwater in the area. Construction alone is slated to cost $18 million, not including the cost of planning and engineering.
The two bridges each carry an average of 28,700 vehicles a day, according to federal data.
The Route 222/Route 863/Schantz Road traffic circle - PennDOT has replaced a problematic three-way intersection with a traffic circle in Upper Macungie Township. It's one of several new traffic circles the state has introduced on Route 222 between Harrisburg and Allentown.
Unlike traditional intersections, traffic circles allow all lanes of traffic to flow without lengthy stops. Studies have found they're also safer. One PennDOT study of 26 traffic circles built between 2000 and 2020 had not seen a single fatal crash as of September 2021.
The Route 222/Route 863/Schantz Road circle opened to traffic in the past few weeks, but construction is expected to continue into the summer of 2023. The overall project is expected to cost approximately $14 million.
Interstate 78 - The interstate is getting a lot of attention in the years ahead. Next year, PennDOT intends to spend $23.3 million next year milling, paving and patching the highway in Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties.
That doesn't include the reconstruction going on in Berks County between Exit 35 and the Lehigh County border. That work carries another $168.3 million.
Once that work is completed, PennDOT will move ahead with construction on other portions of I-78. That includes eventual plans for a new interchange at Adams Road in Weisenberg Township, Rebert said. Construction on that interchange wouldn't be expected until the late 2020s, he said.
The Race Street Bridge - PennDOT recently took bids for construction on the Race Street Bridge, which connects Whitehall Township to Catasauqua. The project is somewhat unique, Rebert said. Construction crews will replace the deck with pre-cast concrete.
"It's going to be like an erector set. We'll be putting that together when the kids are out of school," Rebert said.
The overall project costs $9.1 million, according to the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission.
