Pennsylvania Department of Transportation District 5 Executive Chris Kufro highlighted projects that had active work this year in Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties.
This year the District 5 team repaired or replaced 362 bridges, paved 64 miles of roadways, and seal coated another 345 miles of roadways.
Statewide from January through November, PennDOT improved 6,531 roadway miles, including 2,237 miles of paving. The miles improved has already surpassed the 2022 total of 6,414 miles improved. Through November this year, 587 state and locally owned bridges were put out for bid to be repaired, replaced, or preserved by PennDOT or industry forces. Additionally, 453 construction contracts for highway, bridge, and other improvement projects were completed statewide through PennDOT’s private-sector partners so far this year.
In the east central region, 95 projects with a contract value of $958 million are currently active. A total of 60 projects, including two local projects, were or will be let in 2023 with the low or estimated bid value of $395 million.
The event was held near one of the projects that finished this year, the Interstate 78 Improvement Project in Berks County.
The project included reconstructing the existing four lanes (two east and two west), drainage system improvements, message sign boards, signing, three drainage culvert extensions, new construction of five precast concrete sound barriers, one retaining wall, replacing three dual single-span pre-stressed concrete Bulb-Tee Bridges, one single-span pre-stressed concrete Bulb-Tee Bridge, two single-span pre-stressed concrete spread box beam bridges, and other miscellaneous construction work all contained within an overall project length of 8.7 miles.
The project also included adding a third lane (“truck climbing lane”) eastbound and westbound on the hill just east of Route 737.
“The Interstate 78 Improvement Project updated this stretch of highway to current standards and will improve safety,” Kufro said. “PennDOT will continue to work with regional planning partners to identify projects and continue improving safety and mobility in east central Pennsylvania.”
Notable projects that continued this year in Berks County include:
Reconstructing and widening I-78, including rehabilitating the bridge over the Schuylkill River and upgrading the Route 61 interchange, in Tilden Township and Hamburg Borough, Berks County, $132.2 million.
Project to improve I-78 including patching, milling, paving and bridge preservation in Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton counties, $23.3 million.
Milling, patching, paving, bridge repairs and guiderail replacement on Route 12 in City of Reading, Wyomissing Borough, and Spring Township, Berks County, $9.28 million.
Replacing the Carsonia Avenue bridge over Antietam Creek in Lower Alsace Township, Berks County, $5.2 million.
Replacing the Route 568 bridge over Allegheny Creek in Robeson Township, Berks County, $2 million.
Notable projects that began or went out for bid this year in Berks County include:
Project to improve I-78 including patching, milling, and paving in Bethel, Upper Bern and Upper Tulpehocken townships, Berks County, $17.8 million.
Intersection improvements at Routes 12 and 73 in Ruscombmanor Township, Berks County, $5.5 million.
Notable projects completed this year in Berks County include:
Reconstructing I-78 between Exit 35 (PA 143/Lenhartsville) and Lehigh County line in Greenwich Township, Berks County, $172.9 million.
Traffic signal upgrades on Spring Street in the City of Reading, Berks County, $2.7 million.
Milling and paving Route 61 in Leesport Borough and Ontelaunee Township, Berks County, $1.5 million.
Milling and paving Route 562 between Business Route 422/Perkiomen Avenue and Shelbourne Road in St. Lawrence Borough and Exeter Township, Berks County, $1.2 million.
