REED TOWNSHIP, Dauphin County — Road work that will close a section of Route 147 between Mountain Road and Million Dollar Road in Reed Township is slated to begin on October 20, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
Workers will be replacing a drainage pipe in the affected area. It is part of a project that will repair and resurface a 6.4-mile stretch of Route 147 from U.S. 22/322 at the Clarks Ferry Bridge through Reed and Halifax townships to the intersection with Route 225, PennDOT says.
The $3.7 million project will include tree trimming, pipe replacement, drainage improvements, base repair, concrete patching, slope repair, retaining wall work, replacement of the top layer of asphalt, guide rail replacement, and new signage and pavement markings. The contract was awarded to Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc. of State College.
PennDOT advises travelers that initially it will be necessary to close Route 147 and detour traffic from 8:00 PM on Friday, October 20, through 5:00 AM on Monday, October 23, to replace a 36-inch drainage pipe under the roadway. A local detour using Mountain Road and Route 225 may be used as an alternate route while large trucks will be directed around the closure by way of U.S. 11/15 or I-81 and U.S. 209.
At other times through the fall motorists may encounter lane shifts with flaggers directing traffic through the work zone during nighttime base repair and drainage work. Crews will break over the winter and resume work in the spring. Work under this construction contract is scheduled to be complete in October of 2018.
Some sections of Route 147, locally known as South River Road, average more than 6,750 vehicles traveled daily. To avoid delays, travelers should allow for additional time in their plans or seek an alternate route.
Motorists are reminded to be alert for these operations, to obey work zone signs, and to slow down when approaching and traveling through work zones, not only for their safety, but for the safety of the road crews.
