FRACKVILLE - The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will begin work Thursday on 10 bridges and an exit ramp on Interstate 81 between exits 124 and 131 in New Castle, Ryan and Mahanoy townships as part of a preservation and rehabilitation project.
Extensive rehabilitation work will be done to the two dual bridges on Interstate 81 over Mill Creek, Ryan Township, and over Route 61 in New Castle Township. Preservation work will be done to three dual bridges on Interstate 81 over Altamont Boulevard in Ryan Township and over Route 54 and Burma Road, both in Mahanoy Township. Preservation work will also be done to the Route 81 exit ramp over Altamont Boulevard, Ryan Township.
Starting Thursday, there will only be a single lane for motorists traveling in both directions from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday through March 8.
Beginning March 9, there will be 24-hour single lanes in both directions until the project is completed. Motorists are advised to allow for extra time when traveling through the area.
PennDOT expects the work to be done in October depending on the weather.
The project will cost $13,320,601 and includes deck and approach work to seven structures, and superstructure repair or replacement to the deck and beams on four structures. Trumbull Corp., Pittsburgh, is the general contractor.
According to PennDOT, the average daily traffic for the 7-mile section of Interstate 81 is 12,161 vehicles southbound and 12,421 vehicles northbound.
For more information, follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAAllentown.