The following work timeline for the ongoing $36 million Rt. 412 widening project in south Bethlehem and north Hellertown was provided by Darren LePage, PennDOT’s Assistant Construction Engineer for District 5-0, to the Borough of Hellertown in late October. 
PennDOT says its contractor’s goal is to complete work on the Rt. 412 southbound lanes by end of this year. All of the work, however, is weather dependent.
Some progress was observed in the borough on Friday when Kichline Avenue next to Vassi’s Drive-In was reopened in one direction after a closure of more than two months.
Saucon Creek Bridge
– The contractor was scheduled to start setting the beams for the new bridge (Rt. 412 southbound) in late October. That work will be followed by installation of deck pans, deck steel and finally the bridge deck placement by mid-November.
– Work on bridge parapets, sleeper slabs, approach slabs, hand railings and a 10-M barrier will be under way by the end of November.
– After the approach slabs are constructed, the last 200 feet of roadway construction tie-in to the bridge will begin. That work will include installation of two remaining drainage runs, subgrade work, subbase work, installation of concrete curbing, pavement base drain, bituminous pavement and sidewalk construction by early December.
Rt. 412 Southbound Roadway Construction
The project contractor, HRI Inc., is currently working on the following Rt. 412 southbound roadway items with a goal of completing that side of the road by the end of December.
– Working on completing the roadway subgrade, subbase and pavement base drain installation between Shimersville Road and the Saucon Creek Bridge. This will be followed by installation of the remaining concrete curbing in that area.
– Installation of more than 3,000 tons of bituminous base and binder pavement over the entire Rt. 412 southbound lanes, and winterization of the inlets and manholes.
– Completion of the construction of the Silvex Road jughandle.
– Completion of the eastbound half of Silvex Road and the Park and Ride area (the Park and Ride on the south side of Silvex Road has been closed since November 2014).
– Reconstruction of Millside Road, Emery Street and Lynn Avenue side street tie-ins.
– Installation of 79 streetlights, seven traffic signal intersections and more than 5,000 linear feet of remaining traffic signal and lighting conduit and wiring.
– Guide rail installation at six locations.
2016 Construction Season – Completion Scheduled for Late Fall 2016
– Completion of the construction of the median concrete and grass islands, limited intersection median roadway construction, installation of all of the bituminous wearing course, installation of permanent signage and pavement markings, and planting of some 350 trees.
