Nightly single-lane closures to start Monday on I-70
Buckle up those seat belts and get a tight hold on the steering wheel. Drivers who routinely travel Interstate 70 in South Strabane Township will need to prepare themselves for a busy construction season that starts Monday night with a single-lane closure in the eastbound lanes of the highway.
The work is being done between the north junction with Interstate 79 and the East Beau Street interchange as part of a $53 million project to replace the Murtland interchange with a diverging diamond interchange. That style of interchange requires drivers to cross over and switch lanes on Route 19, with traffic signals directing the flow to allow drivers to either pass through the area or get on the interstate.
Starting at 8 p.m. Monday, traffic will be restricted to a single lane on the eastbound side as crews reset barriers in the construction zone. The single-lane construction area will be in place for about two weeks from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. weeknights through Saturday morning, said Eric Klimas, project manager for Golden Triangle Construction of Robinson Township, Allegheny County, the general contractor for the project.
Klimas said work schedules may be adjusted because of weather, but given the forecast for warmer temperatures next week, he does not think it will be an issue. State police will have a cruiser stationed near the start of the eastbound construction zone while work is going on to remind drivers to slow down .
This phase of work is only the beginning of new traffic patterns as crews prepare to start work on the reconstruction of the eastbound lanes this year and move all traffic to the westbound side of the highway.
The ramps from Route 19 southbound to I-70 east and from I-70 west to Route 19 north will close March 17, with traffic using temporary ramps that are being built. Klimas said drivers will still be able to access the interstate and Route 19. Temporary traffic signals will be in place to handle the change in pattern.
“It will be a huge change for everyone,” Klimas said. “It will be interesting.”
The westbound lanes of I-70 will be paved in early April in order to handle the additional traffic. The work will be done at night.
State police Lt. Douglas Bartoe, patrol section supervisor for the Troop B headquarters in Washington, said troopers will continue their enforcement efforts in the area in an effort to get drivers to slow down in the interest of their safety and that of workers in the construction zone. The speed limit is reduced to 45 mph from near the Jefferson Avenue exit to just east of Beau Street. Last week, troopers wrote 20 citations and gave eight written warnings to drivers.
The project is slated to be finished in November 2017.