Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 5 highlighted projects anticipated to begin this year in Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties. Governor Josh Shapiro's commitment to delivering safe highways and bridges across the Commonwealth remains a top priority. These investments support the Shapiro Administration's vision of a safe and reliable transportation network that connects Pennsylvanians to greater opportunity.
The Department anticipates investing more than $1.3 billion this year in the region's infrastructure. There are 78 projects anticipated to start during the 2024 construction season with an estimated value of over $375 million, and 105 projects with a contract value of over $1 billion are currently active.
Governor Shapiro's 2023-24 budget secured $125 million to fully leverage federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) investments and improve Pennsylvania's roads and bridges. The investment is made possible by decoupling Pennsylvania State Police funding from the Motor License Fund and is the first year of the Governor's four-year proposal to invest an additional $1.25 billion in the state's infrastructure. Statewide in 2023, 684 bridges went out for bid to be repaired, replaced, or preserved and 7,011 roadway miles were improved by department or partner crews.
Overall highlights in the 2024 construction season for District 5 include:
• 1,155 miles of roadway improvements.
• 157 bridges will be addressed.
• 299 miles of seal coating.
• 632 miles of crack sealing.
The event was held near one of the projects that recently began, the Route 61 Frackville to St. Clair Improvement Project in Schuylkill County. The over $115 million project is partially funded by a $21 million federal Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant.
The Route 61 project includes full depth pavement reconstruction, safety improvements including realignment of several substandard curves, heavy excavation, intersection upgrades at Darkwater Road, wider shoulders, reconstruction and/or rehabilitation of eight culverts and four retaining walls, a bridge, slope stabilization, message boards, sign structures, ADA curb ramps and miscellaneous construction.
The project also includes upgrading the Route 61 intersection with Darkwater Road in New Castle Township. This intersection will be widened, turning lanes will be added, and a traffic signal will be added.
“The Route 61 Improvement Project is a top priority for PennDOT and the people of Schuylkill County,” District Executive Chris Kufro said. “PennDOT will continue to manage state and federal transportation dollars to improve safety and mobility in east central Pennsylvania.”
Notable projects that will continue this year include:
Berks County
• Reconstructing and widening I-78, including rehabilitating the bridge over the Schuylkill River and upgrading the Route 61 interchange, in Tilden Township and Hamburg Borough, Berks County, $132.2 million.
• Project to improve I-78 including patching, milling, and paving in Bethel, Upper Bern and Upper Tulpehocken townships, Berks County, $17.75 million.
• Milling, patching, paving, bridge repairs and guiderail replacement on Route 12 in City of Reading, Wyomissing Borough, and Spring Township, Berks County, $9.28 million;
• Intersection improvements at Routes 12 and 73 in Ruscombmanor Township, Berks County, $5.5 million;
• Replacing Weavertown Road Bridge in Amity Township, Berks County, $4.2 million.
Carbon County
• Reconstructing and widening Route 443 in Lehighton Borough and Mahoning Township, Carbon County, $21.2 million.
Lehigh County
• Project to improve I-78 including patching, milling, paving, safety barrier, and drainage improvements in Lehigh County, $13.4 million.
• Intersection and roadway improvements on Race Street in Catasauqua Borough, Lehigh County, $10.2 million.
• Traffic signal improvements on Route 145/MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, $5.8 million.
• Milling and paving Route 145 in North Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, $4.8 million.
• Traffic signal improvements on Route 29 in Salisbury Township, Lehigh County, $3.3 million.
Monroe County
• Realigning and reconstructing the Exit 308/Prospect Street interchange on I-80 in East Stroudsburg Borough, Monroe County, $93.8 million.
• Intersection widening and realignment at Routes 209 and 115 in Chestnuthill Township, Monroe County, $18.7 million.
• Milling and paving Route 611 in Hamilton, Pocono, and Stroud townships, Monroe County, $2.44 million.
• Milling and paving U.S. 209 in Middle Smithfield and Smithfield townships, Monroe County, $2.25 million.
Northampton County
• Milling and paving U.S. 22 in Wilson Borough, Bethlehem and Palmer townships and Route 33 in Bethlehem and Palmer townships, Northampton County, $17 million.
• Milling, paving and traffic signal upgrades on Linden Street in City of Bethlehem and Bethlehem Township, Northampton County, $5.93 million.
• Milling and paving Route 191 in Bangor Borough, Plainfield and Upper Nazareth townships, Northampton County, $3 million.
• Milling and paving Route 191 in Nazareth Borough and Lower Nazareth Township, Northampton County, $2.34 million.
• Milling and paving Route 191 in Stockertown Borough and Plainfield Township, Northampton County, $2.1 million.
Schuylkill County
• Reconstructing and safety improvements on Route 61 in Frackville and St. Clair boroughs, Blythe, New Castle, Ryan and West Mahanoy townships, Schuylkill County, $115 million.
• Milling, patching, and paving I-81 in Foster, Frailey, Pine Grove, and Tremont townships, Schuylkill County, $13.2 million.
• Milling and paving Route 61 in City of Pottsville, Palo Alto Borough, Schuylkill Haven Borough and North Manheim Township, Schuylkill County, $7 million.
• Milling, patching, and paving Route 183 in Wayne Township, Schuylkill County, $5.96 million.
• Replacing the Route 443/Columbia Street Bridge over the Schuylkill River in Schuylkill Haven Borough, Schuylkill County, $4.2 million.
Multiple Counties
• Project to improve I-78 including patching, milling, paving and bridge preservation in Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton counties, $23.3 million.
• Replacing Route 329 “Cementon” Bridge over the Lehigh River in Whitehall Township, Lehigh County and Northampton Borough, Northampton County, $21.7 million.
• Milling, patching, and resurfacing of I-78 west in Upper Saucon Township, Lehigh County and Lower Saucon Township and City of Bethlehem, Northampton County, $13 million.
• Milling and paving Route 33 in Hamilton and Ross townships, Monroe County, and Plainfield Township, Northampton County, $9.5 million.
Notable projects that are expected to begin this year include:
Berks County
• Replacing the I-78 Bridge over Maiden Creek and Route 143 in Greenwich Township, Berks County, $120 million.
• Project to improve I-78 including patching, milling, and paving in Tilden and Upper Bern townships, Berks County, estimated $15 million - $17 million.
• Milling and paving Route 61 in Tilden Township, Berks County, estimated $8 million - $9 million.
• Project to improve Route 100 including patching, milling, and paving in Bally Borough, Colebrookdale and Washington townships, Berks County, $6 million - $7 million.
• Replacing the Stoney Run Valley Road Bridge over Maiden Creek in Albany Township, Berks County, estimated $1.8 million - $2.2 million.
Carbon County
• Replacing the I-80 Bridge over the Lehigh River, Lehigh Gorge State Park, Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad, and River Road in Carbon County, $120 million.
Lehigh County
• Route 309 at Tilghman Street interchange reconstruction in South Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, estimated $90 million - $95 million.
• Milling and paving Route 987/Airport Road in Hanover Township, City of Allentown and City of Bethlehem, Lehigh County, estimated $3.5 million - $4 million.
• Streetscape improvements on South Main Street in Coopersburg Borough, Lehigh County, $1.5 million.
Monroe County
• Milling and paving U.S. 209 in Hamilton Township, Monroe County, estimated $11 million - $12 million.
• Routes 611 and 715 intersection improvements in Pocono Township, Monroe County, estimated $10 million - $11 million.
• Milling and paving Route 115 in Tobyhanna Township, Monroe County, estimated $3.5 million - $4 million.
• Milling and paving Business Route 209 in East Stroudsburg Borough, Monroe County, estimated $1.5 million - $2 million.
Northampton County
• Route 248 realignment in Bath Borough, Northampton County, estimated $5 million - $6 million (est.).
• Milling and paving Route 191 in Nazareth and Stockertown boroughs, Forks and Upper Nazareth townships, Northampton County, estimated $4.5 million - $5 million.
• Milling and paving Route 191 in Bethlehem and Lower Nazareth townships, Northampton County, estimated $1.5 million - $2 million.
Schuylkill County
• Milling and paving Route 54 in Mahanoy, Rush and Ryan townships, Schuylkill County, estimated $3 million - $4 million.
Multiple Counties
• Rehabilitating Route 873 Bridge over Lehigh River in Washington Township, Lehigh County and Lehigh Township, Northampton County, estimated $7 million - $8 million.
Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.
Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties at www.penndot.govDistrict5.
Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.
Find PennDOT news on X, Facebook, and Instagram.
# # #