Monthslong detour will impact Centre County interstates. Here’s what to know
Construction crews will begin the new year by implementing a significant detour near a key Centre County interchange.
The contract behind the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s high-speed interchange project between Interstates 80 and 99 will implement a detour on Route 26 southbound between the I-80 westbound off-ramps and Forest Avenue starting Monday, Jan. 12. Due to the change, westbound traffic on I-80 will not be permitted to use exit 161 (Bellefonte) to reach I-99 southbound.
According to PennDOT, the detour will see such traffic continue along I-80 westbound to exit 158 (Milesburg). Traffic will then merge back onto I-80 eastbound to access I-99 southbound at the Bellefonte exit.
Traffic heading southbound along Route 26 from Howard toward State College will also follow the same detour onto I-80 westbound. The detour will not affect traffic heading northbound on Route 26 toward Howard.
PennDOT said it expects the detour to remain in effect until the end of March. The department said construction schedules may change without notice “due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.”
The high-speed interchange marks just one phase of a three-phase project meant to “enhance traffic safety” by providing a direct connection between I-80 and I-99. Once completed, drivers won’t need to travel along Route 26 to go between the interestate routes.
PennDOT’s $259 million project includes the construction of the interchange, 10 bridges, retaining walls, new signs and more, plus the construction and rebuilding of existing roadways, ramps, drainage improvements and other upgrades. The overarching project, under the construction of Pittsburgh’s Trumbull Corporation, is expected to finish in 2030.
Work on the project began in 2020 when crews constructed a local access interchange at mile marker 163 to provide direct access between Route 26 and I-80 for local traffic. Crews will also reconstruct and widen Route 26 to offer 11-foot travel lanes and 4-foot shoulders to round out the project.
“Completing all three phases will support the regional freight economy and improve the reliability of roadway travel throughout the region,” PennDOT wrote in a statement.
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