I-81 Single Lane Closure- Thursday, March 20th- MAJOR DELAYS EXPECTED

Posted on Wednesday March 19, 2014

Dunmore – There will be a single lane closure on Interstate 81 South just before Exit 178A (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport) on Thursday, March 20th between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Nyleve Bridge Corporation will be installing beams on the bridge over Plane Street, Avoca as part of the $41.9 Million Airport Reconstruction Project and traffic will be down to a single lane.

To avoid the major delays that are expected in the area, motorists are urged to use I-476 (Turnpike/toll) from Clarks Summit (Exit 194 on Interstate 81) to Wyoming Valley (Exit 115 on the Turnpike), and then return to I-81 South.

The Airport Project is unique to District 4. Not only is it one of the largest projects for the district but it is also the only capacity adding project this year. The project began in June 2013 and will include widening of bridges on Interstate 81, rehabilitation of existing bridges over Lidy Road, State Route 315 (Airport Road), and Plane Street, replacement of the pedestrian bridge just north of the Avoca Exit, construction of new exit and entrance ramps, three new roundabouts, construction of two new bridges, and construction of a new roadway.

The construction of the new Navy Way Road will connect Commerce Road (Grimes Industrial Park) to Terminal Road. The new roadway will travel over the PA Turnpike, under the MALSR (Medium-intensity Approach Lighting System with Runway Alignment Indicator), and connect in to the current Navy Way Road near the Holiday Inn.

The $41.9 million contract was awarded to Pennsy Supply on May 21, 2013. Pennsy Supply is a Pennsylvania based company out of Annville.