PennDOT to Shift I-476 Traffic Pattern near I-76 Interchange for Next Stage of Construction to Rehabilitate Bridges over Schuylkill River
I-476 Express Lane to Move to Northbound Side as Construction Begins to Repair the Southbound Bridge in Montgomery County
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that the express-lane traffic pattern on Interstate 476 near the Interstate 76 Interchange in West Conshohocken Borough and Plymouth Township, Montgomery County, will move from the southbound to the northbound side of the highway early Tuesday morning (Jan. 12) as construction begins on the next phase of the $47.4 million project to repair and rehabilitate the 35-year-old twin bridges spanning the Schuylkill River.
Starting Tuesday (Jan. 12), I-476’s new traffic pattern within the bridge construction zone will have two southbound lanes running on the southbound side of the highway. A third southbound lane will cross over and run on the northbound side of I-476 to cross over the bridge. This lane will then shift back to the southbound side of I-476 just south of the bridge.
Northbound I-476 will carry three northbound travel lanes plus the southbound express lane.
Motorists traveling on I-476 between the I-76 and Ridge Pike interchanges can expect to face lane closures and slowdowns from 10 p.m. Monday (Jan. 11) to 5 a.m. Tuesday (Jan. 12) while crews paint traffic lines to implement the new traffic pattern in the construction zone.
PennDOT District Executive Lester C. Toaso advised southbound I-476 motorists to avoid using the express lane if they want to exit at the I-76 Interchange. Southbound I-476 drivers will not be able to access the I-76 exit ramp if traveling in the southbound express lane.
PennDOT is using the express-lane pattern, which places one travel lane on the opposite side of the highway within the construction zone, to keep three travel lanes open in each direction on I-476 and to expedite construction.
“We are cutting by a year the time to rebuild the I-476 bridges with the use of the express-lane pattern,” Toaso said. “This pattern allows us to keep six travel lanes open and to accelerate the construction schedule by providing the contractor with a larger area in which to work.”
PennDOT began construction to rehabilitate the bridges last March (2009). The project is scheduled to finish in December 2010. Crews worked the past 10 months on the northbound bridge, and this year they will rebuild the southbound structure.
Once the new traffic pattern is in place next week, crews will work on southbound I-476 weeknights from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. for approximately two weeks to set construction barriers in place and secure the barriers to the bridge deck to create a protected work zone on the bridge. Southbound I-476 will be reduced from three lanes to two during this overnight operation.
When the barriers are securely in place, crews will then begin work to rebuild the western half of the southbound I-476 bridge. They will:
· Remove the concrete bridge deck.
· Replace deteriorated steel beams and paint all steel members.
· Construct a new concrete bridge deck.
I-476’s southbound bridge is 2,015 feet long and 52 feet wide and the northbound bridge is 1,940 feet long and 52 feet wide. Both bridges were structurally deficient due to the condition of the bridge deck and beams, but they no longer will be structurally deficient upon the completion of the project.
J.D. Eckman, Inc. of Atglen, Chester County, is the general contractor on the $47,438,576 project, which is financed with 80 percent federal and 20 percent state funds. This project also included the installation of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) components on I-476 between I-95 in Delaware County and the Turnpike’s Mid-County Interchange in Montgomery County.
This portion of I-476 carries between 128,000 to 145,000 vehicles a day.
The rehabilitation of the I-476 bridges, which also span Route 23 as well as Norfolk Southern and SEPTA railroad tracks, is the first phase of PennDOT’s two-phase plan to rebuild and improve 3.5 miles of I-476 between the I-76 and Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Mid-County Interchange.
With preparatory work currently underway, PennDOT will begin construction in February on the second stage, a $71.7 million project to rebuild I-476 between the turnpike’s Mid-County and I-76 interchanges. PennDOT will replace I-476's deteriorated concrete pavement; rehabilitate six dual mainline bridges and one overhead structure; rebuild and widen the highway's shoulders; improve storm water drainage; remediate an area prone to sinkholes; and install 17 new sign structures. PennDOT will rebuild southbound I-476 in 2010 and northbound I-476 in 2011. The express-lane pattern will be utilized during this project.
The $71.7 million project is financed with 100 percent federal funds, including $3.5 million of economic recovery money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
PennDOT reminds motorists they can log on to 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions on I-476 and other major highways before heading out.
For more information on the project, visit www.476blueroute.com.