Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that on Monday night, March 18, weather permitting, its contractor will place barrier closing the right shoulder along eastbound and westbound Route 283 and shift traffic toward the median in each direction through the Route 722, State Road interchange in East Hempfield Township, Lancaster County. This work marks the start of a reconstruction project that involves the widening and replacement of the Route 722 bridge over Route 283 and the municipally-owned State Road bridge over Amtrak railroad.

The $18,467,109 contract was awarded to New Enterprise Stone & Lime, Inc. of New Enterprise, Bedford County, and includes the widening and reconstruction of State Road through the Route 283 interchange under phased construction, replacement of the Route 722 bridge over Route 283 and the bridge that carries the municipally-owned section of State Road over the Amtrak railroad tracks, installation of drainage and storm water basins, reconstruction of the four interchange ramps, traffic signal work, and installation of new guiderail, signs and pavement markings. Work under this construction contract is scheduled to be completed in June 2021 when the final two-inch wearing course layer of Superpave asphalt will be paved.

During the second week of April, weather permitting, Route 722 and State Road traffic will shift to one side of the roadway to create a work area for the bridges over Route 283 and Amtrak. Once State Road traffic is shifted, vehicles over 9-feet wide will be prohibited. Eventually it will be necessary to detour traffic during reconstruction of the ramps within the interchange. PennDOT will issue a travel advisory when this work is scheduled.

Route 283 averages nearly 60,000 vehicles traveled daily through this interchange. This section of Route 722 averages 13,000 vehicles traveled daily. To avoid delays, travelers should allow for additional time in their plans or seek an alternate route.

Nighttime work is expected to occur more frequently and consistently as we move into the spring and should be expected each night, weather permitting, between March and November. Travelers are reminded to be alert for these operations, to obey work zone signs, to use caution when driving through work zones, not only for their safety, but for the safety of the road crews.

For more information on projects occurring or being bid this year, those made possible by or accelerated by the state transportation funding plan (Act 89), or those on the department’s Four and Twelve Year Plans, visit www.projects.penndot.gov.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 860 traffic cameras, 103 of which are in the Midstate.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

SOURCE: news release