The following roadwork is scheduled for this week on Interstate 81.
Short Term Projects:
Beginning on Sunday, October 2 motorists will begin to see nighttime lane closures on I-81 North and South between Exit 175 (Dupont/Pittston) and Exit 178 (Wilkes Barre/Scranton Airport – Avoca). Lane closures will be from 8 p.m. each Sunday to 6 a.m. each Friday. Work will take place until Friday, October 21. There will be a night of rolling roadblocks between 10/3 and 10/5. This will allow Beech Construction Inc. to stretch the main cables of the SafeSpan Safety System across I-81 in preparation for the installation of underdeck shielding. These roadblocks will be assisted by the Pennsylvania State Police.
During the week of October 17, there will be additional rolling road blocks and stoppages through the night on I-81 as the contractor removes the beams.
The work is a joint contract with the Turnpike Commission to remove two bridges at a cost of $1.2 million. The Wyoming Avenue Bridge over I-81 was built in 1962. Once removed, this bridge will not be replaced.
I-81-NB & SB-Lackawanna-MM 178-191-Sweeping/Litter & Debris-10/31/2016-11/4/2016-7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
I-81-NB-Lackawanna-MM 184-Ditching/Gradall-11/3/2016-11/3/2016-9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
I-81-SB-Lackawanna-MM 179-Bridge Deck Repair/Crack & Joint Sealing-11/1/2016-11/1/2016-9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
I-81-NB-Lackawanna-MM 182-Bridge Deck Repair/Crack & Joint Sealing-11/2/2016-11/2/2016-9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
I-81 NB & SB- Lackawanna- Ext 185- rolling road blocks to run power line cross the Interstate- 11/3/2016-11/4/2016 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Long Term Projects:
Exit 194 (Clarks Summit) to Exit 202 (Fleetville – Tompinksville). A private contractor for PennDOT continues work on a $9,982,000 project to replace bridge decks on Interstate 81 North and South between Exit 194 (Clarks Summit) and Exit 202 (Fleetville – Tompinksville). In order to expedite the project, all northbound work will be conducted throughout 2016. All southbound work will be conducted in 2017. There will be single lane traffic from Exit 199 to 202 from April through November each year. The locations of the bridges to be replaced are as follows:
2016 – Northbound:
Bridge at Exit 199 (Scott)
Bridge at Exit 201 (East Benton)
Two bridges at Exit 202 (Fleetville – Tompkinsville)
2017 – Southbound:
Two bridges at Exit 202 (Fleetville – Tompkinsville)
Bridge at Exit 201 (East Benton)
Bridge at Exit 199 (Scott)
In addition to the replacement of the bridge decks, there will be paving of the shoulders, the approaches and on SR 107 under I-81.
81 Northbound, Lackawanna County, On-Ramp from SR 438 (East Benton Exit # 201) to SR 81 NB is now OPEN.
I-81, Jenkins – I-81 Bridges Jenkins/Pittston, Rehabilitation and improvement of 81 North and South between Exit 170 (Bear Creek/Wilkes-Barre) and Exit 175 (Avoca/Wilkes-Barre Scranton Airport), construction of four single span steel plate girder bridges, removal of existing bridges, milling, superpave asphalt wearing course, overhead sign structures, temporary cross overs, drainage, guiderail, temporary concrete barrier, erosion and sediment control measures, pavement markers, temporary traffic control, signing, temporary excavation and support, and other miscellaneous construction, Let January 2014, NTP March 2014, To Be Completed October 2017.
I-81 Split – Motorists heading north on I-81 will need to make a lane decision approximately one mile before Exit 175 (Pittston). Motorists in the right lane will be able to exit at 175. Motorists in the left lane will not be able to access the exit because a contractor will be working in the area between the two lanes. This split pattern will be in place until Fall. NOW IN PLACE: A second split is now in place about 1,000 feet north of the first split near Exit 175 (Pittston). Crews use the split pattern so they can do work in the middle lane while still maintaining two lanes of traffic on I-81. Motorists will need to stay in their lanes as they travel through the construction area. This split will be in place until next year. The entire I-81 project is scheduled to be complete by summer of 2017.