^ excellent news. you beat to this Dave.
Here's an update on the Bypass project, which like the US 22/Jonestown Rd-Allentown Blvd project, will hopefully reduce congestion and address safety concerns for the region's motorists.
Work on bypass lanes to alter traffic patterns
Sunday, August 14, 2005
BY FRANK COZZOLI
Of The Patriot-News
Commuters who use the intersection of 21st Street and the Camp Hill Bypass might want to find alternate routes.
Staring at 8 p.m. today, the eastbound lanes of the bypass will be cut to one lane between 21st Street and just west of the Erford Road exit for the next phase of a $2.2 million project.
Motorists will contend with a single-lane pattern for up to 45 days while crews realign and rebuild the lanes heading into and through the underpass that takes the bypass beneath U.S. Routes 11/15.
"There will be some residual backup, we just don't know how extensive it will be," said Greg Penny, spokesman for the District 8 office of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
Delays in manufacturing and the arrival of overhead sign poles and concrete barrier scuttled PennDOT's plans to have this phase of the project completed earlier.
Once the work begins, the speed limit will be reduced to 35 mph from 21st Street to where traffic clears the single-lane pattern.
Crews will initially rebuild the left eastbound lane and pave the off-ramp that's been built to make left turns onto 21st Street from the westbound bypass.
Once that's done, work will shift to the right lane. During that phase, motorists will be traveling through a cattle chute that will be only 11 feet wide.
Chris Kohan, a PennDOT inspector, said the contractor could be finished early. "They're anticipating that if things go well, to be done in about 30 to 35 days," Kohan said.
Once the reconstruction of the eastbound lanes is completed, crews will begin repaving the intersection. That work will be carried out at night.
Kohan said the 21st and Bypass project might be finished by late October or early November.
FRANK COZZOLI: 975-9797 or
fcozzoli@patriot-news.com