LANCASTER, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on Tuesday announced that there will be brief traffic impacts later this week along Route 23 (Walnut Street) in East Lampeter Township while workers perform blasting operations.
The work is part of an expansion project involving Walnut Street, PennDOT said.
Weather permitting, blasting will occur between 1 and 2 p.m., beginning Friday and lasting through Feb. 3.
To ensure the safety of the public, the off-ramp from westbound Route 30 to westbound Route 23/Walnut Street will be closed, as will the on-ramp from eastbound Route 23/Walnut Street to westbound Route 30, PennDOT said.
At the same time, there will be rolling roadblocks of several minutes in length in both directions on Route 30 between the New Holland and Greenfield Road exits, according to PennDOT.
Drivers should expect traffic delays in these areas while the work is performed. PennDOT advises drivers to seek alternate routes of travel or allow for extra time.
The work is part of a local multi-modal project that includes extending Walnut Street as a new two-lane road from the Route 30 Interchange to a roundabout intersection with an extended Ben Franklin Boulevard connecting to Greenfield Road.
The plan also calls for a new 167-foot long, 54-foot wide steel bridge and construction of a section of the Greater Lancaster Heritage Pathway just to the east of the new road, PennDOT said.
The 1.2-mile-paved heritage trail will accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists and will be constructed in a manner consistent with the Lancaster Active Transportation Plan.
Kinsley Construction of York is the prime contractor on this $22 million project.
Work is expected to be completed by November 2023.
