PennDOT to Lengthen I-476 Express Lane Traffic Pattern in Montgomery County
One Southbound Lane to Run on Northbound Side of I-476 This Year between Mid-County and I-76 Interchanges
King of Prussia – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that it will extend the Express Lane traffic pattern on Interstate 476 in Montgomery County early Monday morning (March 15), weather permitting, when it moves one lane of southbound traffic to the opposite side of the highway from just south of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Mid-County Interchange to just south of the Interstate 76 Interchange in Plymouth Township, West Conshohocken Borough and Lower Merion Township.
PennDOT is shifting one southbound lane over to the northbound side of I-476 for nearly four miles as construction crews prepare to start the first major phase of construction on the $71.7 million project to rebuild this deteriorated stretch of the interstate.
The implementation of the new traffic pattern on southbound I-476 is dependent on the contractor completing several nights work to paint new traffic lines and set barriers on the highway. Any postponement of this preparatory work due to inclement weather will likely move back the start of the new traffic pattern.
PennDOT District Executive Lester C. Toaso said a short version of the Express Lane pattern has been in place on I-476 since construction began in March 2009 to rehabilitate the twin bridges over the Schuylkill River. However, the Express Lane pattern now will extend for a much longer distance over the next two years.
“Starting Monday morning and for the remainder of this year, motorists traveling south on I-476 will find two lanes open on the southbound side of the highway and one lane on the northbound side between the Pennsylvania Turnpike and I-76,” Toaso said.
“This pattern allows us to keep three travel lanes open in each direction and to accelerate construction by giving the contractor more room to work.”
Toaso said southbound I-476 drivers must remain on the southbound side of the highway if they want to exit at the I-76 Interchange (Exit 16). Drivers will not be able to access the I-76 off-ramps and the ramp to Route 23 (Conshohocken) from the southbound Express Lane on the northbound side of I-476.
Once the longer southbound Express Lane pattern is in place, crews will work at night over the next two weeks to set concrete barriers to establish a two-lane construction traffic pattern on southbound I-476. Lane closures for this operation will occur Sunday through Thursday from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. and weekends from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. Crews will set and anchor barriers down the center of the existing southbound lanes and a second crew will follow the barrier-setters, working on the protected side to immediately begin rebuilding the outside half of the highway.
PennDOT will keep three lanes of traffic open in each direction on I-476 during peak travel times for the duration of the project. Once barriers are in place, occasional weeknight lane closures may occur from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., with short-term, 15-minute traffic stoppages possible from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. The contractor will work extended off-peak weeknight and weekend work hours to implement major traffic pattern changes and erect sign structures.
The posted speed limit through the I-476 construction zone is 45 miles per hour.
The reconstruction of the outside half of southbound I-476 is the first of four major stages of the $71.7 million project to rebuild and improve 3.5 miles of I-476 between the Chemical Road ramps and I-76. The contractor, Allan A. Myers, LP, began work last October (2009) to build crossover lanes, reinforce shoulders and complete other work to prepare for the traffic shift and the subsequent mainline reconstruction.
The initial two-lane traffic pattern on the inside half of the southbound side of I-476 will flip to the rebuilt outside lanes when reconstruction of the outside pavement finishes in July (2010).
Crews will then rebuild the inside half of southbound I-476 under the next stage of the project. The Express Lane pattern will remain in place on the northbound side of I-476 until all southbound reconstruction is completed in late 2010.
The northbound side of I-476 will be rebuilt in 2011 utilizing the Express Lane pattern on the rebuilt southbound side.
The schedule for removing the long-term Express Lane pattern on I-476 is October 31, 2011. PennDOT will assess the contractor $26,700 a day for each day after that date if the Express Lane pattern remains in place on I-476.
The improvements to be made on I-476 during this project include:
- Replacing I-476’s deteriorated concrete pavement that is covered with an asphalt overlay.
- Rehabilitating six dual mainline bridges and one overhead structure.
- Rebuilding and widening the highway’s shoulders.Improving storm water drainage.
- Remediating an area prone to sinkholes.
- Installing 17 new sign structures.
This section of I-476 was built in the 1970’s and carries between 128,000 to 145,000 vehicles a day. PennDOT resurfaced I-476’s deteriorated concrete pavement with asphalt in 1998-99.
PennDOT will provide tow truck coverage within the construction area to assist motorists and quickly remove disabled vehicles from I-476.
The I-476 Reconstruction 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 is coordinating the rebuilding of I-476 with the construction presently taking place on the I-476 Bridges over the Schuylkill River (Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge). PennDOT began work to repair and rehabilitate the 35-year-old twin structures in March 2009. This $47.4 million bridge project, which is located within the new construction area, is scheduled to finish in late 2010.
For more information, visit www.476blueroute.com.
PennDOT reminds motorists to 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.