Penn State exit to reopen as major I-99/US Route 322 improvement project advances

An ongoing highway reconstruction project impacting 1.5 miles of highway along Interstate 99 and U.S. Route 322 in the State College area is approaching its second phase, with a busy exit set to reopen next week.

Starting on Tuesday, June 30, the right lane, also known as the travel lane, of U.S. Route 322 westbound and the highway’s Innovation Park/Penn State exit will be reopened, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation wrote in a press release. A detour has been in place there since late March.

In the event of inclement weather on June 30, the reopenings would be rescheduled to Wednesday, July 1.

Westbound traffic along the route will still be reduced to one lane as the highway’s left, or passing, lane will be closed for construction. Additionally, on Thursday, July 2, the right lane on U.S. Route 322 eastbound will be re-opened, and the left lane will be closed.

The release also states that the right lane of Interstate 99 southbound near Exit 61/Port Matilda and the exit itself will remain closed until further notice. Drivers must continue to follow the detour there, which sees them exit I-99 at Exit 68/Grays Woods-Waddle, take Route 3042, or Skytop Mountain Road, to Alternate Route 220, where they’ll follow it to Port Matilda.

“PennDOT anticipated lifting this detour earlier in June, however the need for additional repairs was discovered after work got under way,” the release states. “PennDOT will issue an update when work has progressed to the point where it can reopen the exit.”

The $1.8 million project consists of highway reconstruction, guide rail installation, line painting and other miscellaneous construction, and is expected to be completed by the end of August. Francis J. Palo, Inc., of Clarion, is the contractor.

PennDOT reminded drivers that “all construction schedules are subject to change due to weather or other circumstances.”