Impact of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding in Northeast Region’s 2022 Construction Season

The Wolf Administration today joined Sen. Bob Casey and local officials to highlight the 32 projects that will be bid in 2022 in the six-county region and discussed the benefits coming to regional roads and bridges due to the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is bringing benefits to every corner of Pennsylvania, and we are quickly delivering on its promises,” Governor Tom Wolf said. “While these improvements occur, I urge the public to drive safely in work zones so you and roadway workers can get home each day.”

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Acting Deputy Secretary for Highway Administration Mike Keiser said, “We have no shortage of needs, and we have many meaningful projects that will modernize our infrastructure while creating sustainable, good-paying jobs that will be transformative for our transportation system and our local economies.”

The event was held near Route 6 (Robert P. Casey Highway) which will see a 15-mile, $30 million concrete pavement and bridge preservation project in Lackawanna County starting this year.

“Thanks to the infrastructure law, we are beginning to rebuild our roads, bridges and more vital infrastructure right here in Northeastern Pennsylvania,” Senator Casey said. “The Casey Highway project and others throughout our region will create good-paying jobs, make it safer and easier for people to get around and jumpstart the most significant improvements to our infrastructure in a generation.” 

Overall highlights in the PennDOT Engineering District 4 region – which includes Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming counties – include nearly 245 miles of paving and repairing or replacing 88 bridges.

These improvements include projects supported and accelerated by the BIL. In 2022 alone the BIL is bringing at least $49.6 million in additional funding to be allocated by the department and its local Metropolitan and Rural Planning Organization (MPO/RPO) partners. For 2022:

• Lackawanna Luzerne Transportation Study (LLTS) MPO will receive at least $21.8 million more;
• Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA) MPO will receive at least $12.1 million more;
• Northern Tier RPO will receive at least $13.9 million more; and
• Wayne County will receive at least $1.8 million more.

“We are looking forward to beginning projects that would not have been possible this year without the additional funding. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be integral to completing much needed projects over the next five years,” said PennDOT District 4 Executive Richard Roman, P.E.

Notable projects that will continue this year include:

• Extension of Route 424 Hazleton Beltway from the Interstate 81 Exit 141 Interchange to Humbolt Industrial Park, Luzerne County, $16.9 million;
• I-84 over Lackawanna Railroad, Roaring Brook and Route 435 Bridge Replacement, Roaring Brook, Lackawanna County, $113.2 million;
• I-84 eastbound and westbound resurfacing and bridge preservations consisting of 32 miles in Lackawanna and Wayne counties, $36.5 million;
• Preventive maintenance on eight bridges carrying I-81 near Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, $ 7.8 million;
• Roadway reconstruction and bridge replacement on I-84 (Fallen Trooper Memorial Highway) from Route 3005 to Exit 26 in Greene, Palmyra, and Sterling townships in Pike and Wayne counties, $104 million;
• Replacing three structures on Route 706, removing a Route 3037 structure, and intersection improvement on Routes 706 and 267, Susquehanna County, $4.3 million; and
• Bridge rehabilitation on Route 92 over tributary to Susquehanna River in Falls Township, Wyoming County, $1.6 million.

Notable projects that started or will begin this year include:

• Preventive maintenance on Route 309 (North Cross Valley) over Route 2022 (Main Street), Mill Creek and Norfolk Southern Railway, and Route 309 (North Cross Valley) over Wilkes-Barre Boulevard in the City of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, $8.6 million;
• Group surface improvement on 21.7 miles in various state routes and municipalities in Luzerne County. 
• I-80 and I-81 concrete pavement repairs in Luzerne County;
• Bridge replacement on Route 3014 (Dump Hill Road) over Nescopeck Creek in Nescopeck Township, Luzerne County;
• Preventive maintenance on three structures carrying I-81 in Rice Township, Luzerne County; one structure carrying I-81 in South Abington; and one structure carrying Route 1016 in Blakely and Jessup Borough in Lackawanna County;
• Resurfacing project group totaling 10 miles on Route 93 (Broad Street) in West Hazleton Borough, and Route 93 (Berwick-Hazleton Highway) in Sugarloaf Township, as well as Route 309 (Church Street and Mountain Boulevard) in the City of Hazleton to Butler Township in Luzerne County;
• Bridge preservations on Route 29 (South Cross Valley Expressway) over Susquehanna River and railroad and Route 29 (South Cross Valley Expressway) over Route 11 and Ramp 8027 in Hanover and Plymouth townships, Luzerne County;
• Interstate roadway reconstruction on I-84 (Fallen Trooper Memorial Highway) from milepost 40 to Exit 46 in Pike County, $86.3 million; 
• Slope repair on Route 2002 (Wilson Hill Road) in Delaware Township, Pike County, $547,000;
• Bridge replacement on Route 390 (Promised Land Road) over Bridge Creek in Greene Township, Pike County, $2 million;
• Bridge rehabilitation on Route 390 (Promised Land Road) over Outlet Fairview Lake in Palmyra Township, Pike County, $862,000;
• Interstate roadway reconstruction and bridge replacement on I-84 (Fallen Trooper Memorial Highway) from the Palmyra Rest Area to Exit 34 in Palmyra and Blooming Grove townships, Pike County;
• Slope repair on Route 171 (State Street) between Main Street and Chestnut Street in Oakland Borough, Susquehanna County, $2.1 million;
• Slope repair on Route 87 between the Sullivan/Wyoming County Line and Bucks Rub Lane in North Branch and Colley townships, Wyoming County, $2.7 million;
• Bridge replacements on Route 3029 (Forest Lake Road) over East Branch Wyalusing Creek and tributary of Forest Lake Creek, Jessup Township, Susquehanna County, $2.2 million;
• Safety Improvements on Route 11 (Lackawanna Trail) from the Susquehanna/ Wyoming County Line to Township Road 406 (Squier Cemetery Road) in Lathrop and Lenox townships, Susquehanna County;
• Bridge replacement on Route 3034 (Mid Valley Road) over Middle Creek in Lake Township, Wayne County, $795,000;
• Resurfacing 8 miles of Route 6 (Church and Main Streets) from Park Street to Sunrise Avenue in Honesdale Borough and Route 1016 (Callicoon Road) from Route 191 (Hancock Highway) to Route 1020, Damascus Township, Wayne County; and
• Bridge preservation on Route 191 (Twin Rocks Road) over Butternut Creek in Sterling Township, Wayne County.

As construction projects are underway in the region, the traveling public can anticipate seeing many work zones and are urged to keep in mind their safety and the safety of highway workers. When encountering a work zone, please drive the posted speed limit, turn on your headlights, pay close attention to signs and flaggers and avoid all distractions. In high traffic locations, motorists are encouraged to use both lanes of travel to the merge point and are to take turns merging into the open lane. 

Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts. 

Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District4.

Information about infrastructure in District 4 including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.pa.gov/D4Results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at https://www.penndot.pa.gov.

Follow local PennDOT news on Twitter and like the department on Facebook and Instagram.

MEDIA CONTACTS: Elizabeth Rementer, Governor’s Office, ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov, 717-783-1116

Jessica Ruddy, PennDOT, 570-963-4044 or jeruddy@pa.gov