Northhampton News

The federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) is responsible for 133 projects that are set to either start or continue this year in the south central Pennsylvania region, and this week the Wolf Administration touted the projects.

According to a March 30 release, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Engineering District 8 is made up of counties including Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York. It includes about 123 miles of paving as well as the repair or replacement of 80 bridges. In 2022 the BIL is bringing at least $55.6 million in additional funds to be used by DOT and the Metropolitan Rural Planning Organization partners.

“President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is making an immediate impact on Pennsylvania’s roads and bridges by accelerating infrastructure projects throughout the commonwealth,” said Gov. Wolf. “South central Pennsylvania will see an estimated $297 million worth of infrastructure projects continue, begin, or go out to bid this construction season. These projects are vital to ensuring the people who live and work in Pennsylvania have safe, modern and efficient transportation network.”

New highlighted projects include: $2.7 million going to Adams County Office of Planning and Development; $3 million going to Franklin County Planning Department; $23.6 million to Harrisburg Area Transportation Study; $15.9 million toward Lancaster County Planning Commission; $2.6 million toward Lebanon County Planning Department; and $7.8 million to York Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.

“Additional federal funding is welcome as we face the challenges of modernizing and maintaining one of the nation’s largest transportation systems,” said Acting Deputy Secretary for Highway Administration Mike Keiser. “PennDOT will leverage these funds to advance projects that will improve safety and mobility in south central Pennsylvania and the state.”

There are a number of projects that will continue this year with a variety of scopes and price tags ranging from $5 million to $26.5 million. The most notable projects include resurfacing and highway preservation of I-81 in Southampton, Shippensburg, South Newton and Penn townships of Cumberland County; $19.4 million toward Route 15 resurfacing and safety projects in the Franklin and Carroll townships of York County as well as the Huntington and Latimore townships of Adams County; and the Route 22 resurfacing of Elmerton Avenue in the city of Harrisburg to Route 225 in Dauphin Borough, in Dauphin County.

There are also a variety projects that have begun or will start this year including $19.7 million toward the Centerville Road interchange improvement project in East Hempfield Township of Lancaster County and the Centerville Road Widening Project from Route 23 (Marietta Avenue) to Route 462 (Columbia Avenue) in East Hempfield Township of Lancaster County worth $13.3 million.

Officials are urging motorists to travel safely and follow traffic signs, while paying close attention to speed and flaggers and while keeping headlights on in construction areas.

“As District 8 ramps up its construction and maintenance activities this spring, we ask everyone who travels on our highways to make safety their number one priority,” said Acting District Executive Christopher Kufro. “Safe driving will help keep both our workers safe and motorists safe.”

For more information visit 511pa.com or call 5-1-1 on an iPhone or Android mobile device.