Nighttime Lane Closures Next Week on I-476 in Montgomery County
Nighttime lane closures will be in effect next week (Feb. 14-19) on Interstate 476 in Montgomery County as crews continue preparations for the start of southbound reconstruction between the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Mid-County
Interchange and the Interstate 76 Interchange, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced today.
Due to the recent snow storms, northbound and southbound single lane closures will run each night from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning to allow the contractor to remain on schedule. Double lane closures remain limited to the
hours of 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
The contractors schedule is as follows:
- Southbound I-476 will be reduced from three lanes to two from just south of the Ridge Pike Interchange (Exit 18) through I-76 (Exit 16), Sunday through Tuesday (Feb. 14-16) from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Southbound I-476 will be reduced to one open lane from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Southbound I-476 will be reduced from three lanes to two from the Mid-County Interchange (Exit 20) to the Ridge Pike Interchange (Exit 18) Sunday through Tuesday (Feb. 14-16) from 7 p.m. each evening until 6 a.m. the following morning.
- Northbound I-476 will be reduced from three lanes to two from just south of the I-76 Interchange (Exit 16) to the Ridge Pike Interchange (Exit 18) on Monday through Thursday (Feb. 15-18) from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Traffic will be reduced to one open lane from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
In addition to lane closures, motorists using I-476 between the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Mid-County Interchange (Exit 20) and the Interstate 76 Interchange (Exit 16) may encounter periodic brief stoppages each night as crews move and set barrier and paint new lane markings.
Motorists on I-476 also may encounter closed shoulders weekdays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., as well as shifting traffic patterns at entrance and exit ramps at both Exit 16 and Exit 18 during the nighttime operations.
The work schedule is dependent on the weather and some operations may be postponed to the following evening in the event of snow or rain.
The operations will allow crews to create a southbound “express lane” that is expected to be put into service in early March when reconstruction begins on the outside half of southbound I-476, the first major stage of PennDOT’s $71.7
million project to reconstruct that section of the highway.
Construction also is currently underway to refurbish and re-deck the southbound bridge over the Schuylkill River (Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge) under a $47.4 million contract that began in 2009 with the completion improvements to the northbound structure. The outside half of the southbound bridge is currently under construction.
PennDOT reminds motorists they can log on to 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions on I-476 or other major highways before heading out.
For more information, and to sign up for e-mail alerts about this project, visit www.476blueroute.com.