LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. — Workers will begin a pavement preservation project along a 14-mile stretch of Interstate 78 in Dauphin and Lebanon counties next week, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
The project, which consists of diamond grinding, concrete patching, spall repair, new signage, pavement markings, and shoulder rumble-strip installation, affects I-78 along East Hanover, Union, and Bethel townships in Lebanon County.
Also included in the project is work on the westbound I-78 ramp to Route 22 in Lebanon County and Interstate 81 in Lebanon and Dauphin counties, PennDOT said.
The project is intended to improve the ride quality and extend the life of the concrete pavement, according to PennDOT. The $5.2 million contract, awarded to JD Eckman, Inc., is expected to be compelted by July 2022.
Work limits on I‐78 in Lebanon County will be from the Route 72 overpass to the I‐81 Interchange, and on southbound I‐81 from just north of the I‐78 Interchange to approximately the Indiantown Gap Road overpass.
There will be concrete repairs and diamond grinding on northbound I-81 in the area of Route 934 (Exit 85). Also included with the Lebanon County portion of the project is guiderail and barrier work on the westbound I‐78 to Route 22 (Exit 8) including full shoulder replacement of the deteriorated areas along the entire ramp, according to PennDOT.
In the Dauphin County section of the project, the southbound I‐81 limits are from approximately the East Hanover rest area near Mile 79 to approximately one mile east of Mountain Road (Exit 72), PennDOT said. The northbound I‐81 limits are from just east of Mountain Road (Exit 72) to just east of Route 39 (Exit 77) with about a one-mile break in the area of Sandy Hollow Road.
There will be short-term lane closures and traffic shifts at night between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., PennDOT said. Ramp closures also are planned.
Work initially will be performed on the shoulder with minimal impacts to traffic.
