A sign marks the entrance to Rt. 22 westbound at 15th Street in South Whitehall Township, Lehigh County. The road between 15th Street and the I-78 split will be under construction as part of a rehabilitation project for the next two years.
If you regularly drive on Rt. 22 in Lehigh County, you may already be aware that a road rehabilitation project that will impede the flow of traffic for two years begins Monday.
The $17 million project will involve milling, concrete patching, paving, joint cleaning, joint sealing, bridge repairs, putting down new pavement markings and making guide rail updates on Rt. 22 between its junction with I-78 in Upper Macungie Township and the 15th Street exit in South Whitehall Township, PennDOT said in a news release about it.
The project also will include milling, patching and paving all on- and off-ramps at the Rt. 309, Cedar Crest Boulevard and 15th Street interchanges.
Beginning Aug. 17 and weather permitting, motorists should expect weeknight lane restrictions on Rt. 22 east and west between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.
PennDOT said interchange ramps will be closed and detoured at times, with updates to be provided whenever traffic pattern schedules change.
Work on the project will be in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and state Department of Health guidance issued to help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.
PennDOT said the contractor–J.D. Eckman of Atglen, Chester County–also has a project-specific COVID-19 safety plan which includes protocols for social distancing, the required use of face coverings, personal and job-site cleaning protocols, management of entries to the jobsite and relevant training.
Barring delays, the Rt. 22 rehabilitation project is expected to be completed in August 2022.
For more information on PennDOT projects occurring or being bid this year, those made possible by or accelerated by the state transportation funding plan (Act 89) or those on the department’s Four and Twelve Year Plans, visit Projects.Penndot.gov.
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