HARRISBURG — PennDOT announced its contractor will begin prep work Sunday on a project to repair and resurface a 10.5-mile section of Interstate 81, from the bridge over Kutz Road in Penn Township through Dickinson and South Middleton townships to Route 641 (West Trindle Road) at Exit 49 for High Street in Carlisle, Cumberland County.
The prep work will begin Sunday at 8 p.m., according to PennDOT.
The $14.7 million project includes ramp resurfacing, roadway base replacement, full-width milling of the top layer of asphalt, resurfacing, installation of a median barrier, and installation of Intelligent Transport System equipment like closed-circuit video cameras and Dynamic Message signage, PennDOT says.
Work under this construction contract is scheduled to be completed by February of 2021.
During working hours, motorists might encounter short-term single-lane restrictions of up to four miles through the work zone five or six nights a week between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., PennDOT says.
Eventually, it will be necessary to temporarily detour on and off ramp traffic when overnight work is scheduled to repair and resurface the ramps within the interchanges, according to PennDOT. These restrictions will not be scheduled during the busy Fall Carlisle, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Easter, Spring Carlisle, Memorial Day, Carlisle Nationals, Independence Day, Corvettes at Carlisle, or Labor Day holiday and event weekends, PennDOT says.
Once overnight temperatures begin to cool, the contractor may extend their hours to between 6:00 PM and 6:00 AM in the northbound lanes and between 8:00 PM and 8:00 AM in the southbound lanes to conduct bituminous base course replacement.
This section of I-81 averages more than 46,700 vehicles traveled daily. To avoid delays, travelers should allow for additional time in their plans or seek an alternate route.
