DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa.– Motorists who use northbound Interstate 83 to access Route 22 (also known locally as Jonestown Road) in Lower Paxton Township, Dauphi...
DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa.– Motorists who use northbound Interstate 83 to access Route 22 (also known locally as Jonestown Road) in Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County, are advised that the northbound ramp will be closed starting at around midnight on Wednesday night, May 2, and continuing until midnight on Saturday night, May 5.
This is the I-83 Exit 50 interchange, and the closure continues around-the clock from Wednesday night to Saturday night. Motorists on northbound I-83 headed to Route 22 will be directed by a signed detour by way of northbound I-83 to northbound Interstate 81, on to Mountain Road at I-81 Exit 72, and then south to Route 22. An alternative for motorists on northbound I-83 may be to opt for Exit 48 at Union Deposit Road — prior to reaching Exit 50 — and make their way to Route 22.
The ramp closure is necessary so that the contractor for the bridge and interchange project at I-83 Exit 50 can safely build the necessary tie-ins between northbound I-83 and the new off-ramp, and between the new off-ramp and Route 22.
The new off-ramp from northbound I-83 to Route 22 will open to traffic late Saturday night. (This means the existing ramp along Shoops Cemetary will close.) Motorists headed to westbound Route 22, however, will continue using the detour which directs them onto eastbound Route 22 to the jughandle turn at Colonial Road and then onto westbound Route 22. The detour for eastbound Route 22 traffic headed to northbound I-83 will also continue. These traffic movement will not be restored until later this year.
Looking ahead, the work to rebuild the interchange this year will continue to involve short-term ramp closures as the contractor builds the new ramps for the I-83 Exit 50 interchange. PennDOT will announce each ramp closure and detour in advance.
This work is part of an overall construction contract to replace three bridges that cross over I-83 in Lower Paxton Township – Elmerton Avenue (State Route 3026), Route 22 (Jonestown Road) and Union Deposit Road (SR 3020). The Elmerton Avenue bridge was rebuilt in 2016. Construction of the Union Deposit Road bridge at I-83 Exit 48 wrapped up last fall. The Route 22 bridge at the I-83 Exit 50 interchange should be substantially complete by the end of this year. All three new bridges will provide greater lateral under clearance to provide the width necessary to widen I-83 to six lanes. The I-83 widening project is currently scheduled to start late this year and finish in 2021.
PennDOT has contracted with New Enterprise Stone & Lime Company, Inc. of New Enterprise, Pennsylvania, to conduct the three bridge replacements at a cost of $34,199,999. The overall project with the three bridges is scheduled to wrap up in spring 2019.
511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.
