What to know about traffic changes as PennDOT resumes work on Bellefonte interchange project
Work on the Bellefonte Interchange is set to resume next week, and drivers traveling through the area should be aware of traffic changes.
Beginning Monday, a work zone will be located along Interstate 80, near the Bellefonte/161 interchange, so crews can continue construction on the roadway.
In a release, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said the work could affect traffic flow on Interstate 80 because lane closures will be used to complete cross-pipe work on I-80 westbound. The right lane is expected to be closed for two to three days, followed by the left lane for the same period of time. There will also be a right lane closure on I-80 eastbound, so crews can complete shoulder repair.
This year, motorists will use a crossover taking one lane of traffic from I-80 westbound to I-80 eastbound. The lane configuration will be three lanes on eastbound and one on westbound. To prepare for the opening of the crossovers, PennDOT will be conducting preliminary work.
Work this season will include the completion of basin construction in the median, completion of northern ramps, full-depth reconstruction of the westbound bridge piers and northern abutment and construction on the connector road between the interstate and state Route 26.
Work on the long-awaited $52 million project will be done in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state Department of Health guidelines, as well as a project-specific COVID-19 safety plan.
The local interchange project is the first phase of a three-phase project to build local access, a high-speed interchange connection between interstates 99 and 90 and to make improvements on Jacksonville Road. An initial $35 million for the project was announced in 2018; completion of all three phases will support regional freight economy and improve travel reliability and safety throughout the region.
