HARRISBURG, Pa. — A section of Interstate 83 North will be restricted to a single lane this weekend at the reconstruction project near Union Deposit Road and the I-81/I-83 split in Harrisburg, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
The single-lane restriction will be in place from 9 p.m. Friday until Saturday afternoon or evening, PennDOT said. The restriction is in place so workers can shift traffic to the newly constructed portion of the highway, according to PennDOT.
Major delays are expected while the lane restriction is in place, PennDOT said. Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes.
I-83 North is currently shifted to the outside lanes from the southern end of the project (Mile 47.5) to just north of Exit 48, where it shifts back to the inside lanes through the northern end of the project at the I-81/I-83 split, PennDOT said.
The traffic shift planned for this weekend will result in all of northbound I-83 being moved to the outside lanes through the project limits, according to PennDOT. Once the shift is complete, the contractor to begin reconstructing the middle lanes of the interstate.
Southbound I-83 traffic was shifted to the outside lanes last winter, PennDOT said.
The ramp from Union Deposit Road to northbound I-83 will remain in a stop condition.
This work is part of the $104,747,344 interstate reconstruction contract that was awarded to J.D. Eckman, Inc. of Chester County, and includes widening and rebuilding a 2.77-mile section of I-83 east of Harrisburg from just south of Exit 48 for Union Deposit Road, through Exit 50 for U.S. 22 (Colonial Park/Progress), to Exit 51 for Interstate 81.
The structure work on the project includes the replacement and widening of the existing mainline bridges at Valley Road as well as three other locations, widening the existing culvert at Slotznick Run, and construction of new retaining walls as well as new sound walls in the residential areas.
The project is scheduled to wrap up in 2021.
Travelers are reminded to be alert for these operations, to obey work zone signs, and to use caution when driving through work zones for their safety, as well as for the safety of the road crews.
