Nighttime Lane Closures Continue on I-476 in Montgomery County
Nighttime lane closures will continue next week (Jan. 17-22) for motorists traveling on Interstate 476 in Montgomery County as crews continue preparations for the February start of southbound reconstruction between the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Mid-County Interchange and the Interstate 76 Interchange, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced today.
The contractor's upcoming schedule is as follows:
- Southbound I-476 will be reduced from three lanes to two from the Pennsylvania Turnpike's Mid-County Interchange (Exit 20) through the I-76 Interchange (Exit 16) Sunday through Thursday (Jan. 17-21) from 10 p.m. each evening until 5 a.m. the following morning.
- Northbound I-476 will be reduced from three lanes to two from just south of the I-76 Interchange (Exit 16) to the Ridge Pike Interchange (Exit 18) Sunday through Thursday (Jan. 17-21) from 10 p.m. each evening until 5 a.m. the following morning.
In addition to the lane closures, motorists may encounter traffic pattern shifts on the southbound interstate and at on- and off-ramps at both Exit 16 and Exit 18 during the nighttime operations.
The work schedule is dependent on the weather.
The scheduled lane closures will be in place as part of two separate projects currently underway on this part of I-476.
On the southbound I-476 bridge over the Schuylkill River, also known as the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge, crews will place and secure construction barrier down the center of the span. The barrier will establish a work area for upcoming construction to rehabilitate the outside half of the structure. The bridge work is the next stage of a $47.4 million project to improve the twin spans over the Schuylkill River. Improvements to the northbound bridge were completed in 2009.
The road work is a continuation of the preparations that have been underway since late 2009 for the initial stage of a $71.7 million project to replace I-476's deteriorated concrete pavement and complete other improvements on 3.5 miles of highway between Exit 16 and Exit 20.
Roadway construction planned for the upcoming week includes shoulder paving, construction of crossovers at the north and south ends of the work zone, barrier placement and shoulder rehabilitation.
PennDOT reminds motorists they can log on to 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions on I-476 or other major highways before heading out.
For more information, and to sign up for e-mail alerts about this project, visit www.476blueroute.com.