HARRISBURG, Pa.– Prep work is scheduled to start on Tuesday, October 25, for the Interstate 81 widening and improvement project between I-81 Exit 70 (Interstate 83) and Exit 72 (Mountain Road/Linglestown) in Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County. For motorists, this means that traffic may be restricted to a single lane in one or both directions during the overnight hours between 9 PM and 6 AM. It also means that the speed limit through the construction work zone on I-81 and also on the northbound I-83 approach to I-81 will be reduced to 45 miles per hour around-the-clock until late November 2017,
PennDOT has contracted with Hempt Bros., Inc. of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, for $13.6 million to widen this section of I-81 to provide an auxiliary lane in each direction to reduce traffic congestion, improve traffic flow, and also improve safety. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by the end of June 2018.
The prep work this fall includes repairs to concrete pavement slabs, paving emergency pull-offs along the interstate within the construction zone, and building new sign structure foundations at various locations throughout the project area. [A more detailed overview of the four stages of construction is attached for your reference.]