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Area bridge, road projects detailed

The Route 443 improvement project in Lehighton was but one of a multitude of projects that had active work this year in East Central Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation District 5 Executive Christopher Kufro highlighted regional progress made during the 2024 construction season in the parking lot at the Route 443 improvement project along Blakeslee Boulevard in Lehighton on Monday afternoon.

Kufro was joined by Michael Guidon, PennDOT District 5 assistant district executive for construction, and Scott Vottero, PennDOT District 5 assistant district executive for design, as they discussed ongoing projects in Carbon, Monroe, Schuylkill, Northampton, Lehigh and Berks counties.

Statewide from January through October, 5,385 roadway miles were improved, including 1,941 miles of paving. Within the same period, work advanced on 401 state and locally owned bridges, while 356 construction projects were completed statewide through PennDOT’s private-sector partner so far this year.

Since taking office, Gov. Josh Shapiro has secured over $300 million in new infrastructure funding to maintain Pennsylvania’s roads and bridges, reducing the Pennsylvania State Police’s reliance on the Motor License Fund, delivering more funding for transportation, while ensuring our law enforcement officers are sustainably funded.

In the east central region, 183 bridges were or will be repaired, replaced, or preserved by PennDOT or industry forces, 1,076 miles or roadway were improved by department or partner crews, and 45 construction contracts for highway, bridge and other improvement projects were completed through PennDOT’s private-sector partners.

There are currently 95 construction contracts with an estimated contract value of $1.22 billion active across the six-county region.

Route 443 improvement project

Kufro explained the idea behind the Route 443 improvement project.

“The goal of the Route 443 improvement project was to improve safety and reduce congestion,” Kufro said. “So far, it appears to be working.”

Kufro then thanked everyone who worked to design and build all the road and bridge projects this year in east central Pennsylvania.

Work on the $21.9 million Route 443 project included reconstructing the roadway in Lehighton Borough and Mahoning Township; adding a center turn lane along the corridor; adding left-turn lanes and traffic signal improvements at two intersections; drainage improvements; and rehabilitating the Route 443 bridge over Mahoning Creek.

In addition, the Route 902/South Ninth Street bridge over Mahoning Creek was replaced, and the intersection of routes 902 and 443 were realigned to make a “T” intersection.

Among the other projects completed this year in the Times News region:

Monroe County

• Intersection widening and realignment at routes 209 and 115 in Chestnuthill Township, $18.7 million.

• Replacing the Long Pond Road bridge over Tunkhannock Creek in Tunkhannock, $3.67 million.

• Milling and paving Route 209 in Middle Smithfield and Smithfields townships, $1.98 million.

Schuylkill County

• Milling and paving Route 61 in City of Pottsville, Palo Alto Borough, Schuylkill Haven Borough and North Manheim Township, $7 million.

• Milling, patching, and paving Route 183 in Wayne Township, $5.96 million.

• Replacement of the Route 443/Columbia Street Bridge over the Schuylkill River in Schuylkill Haven Borough, $4.2 million.

• Mount Carbon Bowstring Truss pedestrian bridge over Mill Creek in St. Clair Borough, $3 million.

• Replacement of the Bern Drive over Red Creek in South Manheim Township, $1.15 million.

Northampton County

• Traffic signal upgrades on Route 248 in Lehigh Township, $1.6 million.

Lehigh County

• Milling and paving Route 873 in Slatington Borough, North Whitehall Township, and Washington Township, $2.97 million.

Multiple counties

• Milling and paving Route 33 in Hamilton and Ross townships, Monroe County, and Plainfield Township, Northampton County, $9.5 million.

Among the notable projects continuing into 2025 in the Times News region:

Carbon County

• Replacing the I-80 Bridge over the Lehigh River, Lehigh Gorge State Park, Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad, and River Road in East Side Borough, Carbon County and White Haven Borough, Luzerne County, $120 million.

Monroe County

• Realigning and reconstructing the Exit 308/Proposed Street interchange on I-80 in East Stroudsburg Borough, $93.8 million.

• Routes 611 and 715 intersection improvements in Pocono Township, $14.99 million.

• Milling and paving Route 209 in Hamilton Township, $10.85 million.

• Milling and paving Route 115 in Tobyhanna Township, $3.49 million.

• Milling and paving Route 611 in Hamilton, Pocono, and Stroud townships, $2.44 million.

• Milling and paving Business Route 209 in East Stroudsburg Borough, $1.75 million.

Schuylkill County

• Reconstruction and safety improvements on Route 61 in Frackville and St. Clair boroughs, Blythe, New Castle, Ryan and West Mahanoy townships, $115 million.

• Milling and paving Route 54 in Mahanoy, Rush and Ryan townships, $2.6 million.

Northampton County

• Route 248 realignment in Bath Borough, $5.42 million.

• Traffic signal improvements on routes 248 and 512 in Bath Borough, $1.2 million.

Lehigh County

• Traffic signal improvements on Route 145/MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township, $5.8 million.

• Milling and paving Route 145 in North Whitehall Township, $4.8 million.

• Intersection and roadway improvements on Route 145 in City of Allentown, $7.36 million.

Multiple counties

• Rehabilitating Route 873 Bridge over Lehigh River in Washington Township, Lehigh County, and Lehigh Township, Northampton County, estimated $6.9 million.

The Route 902/South Ninth Street bridge over Mahoning Creek was replaced, and the intersection of routes 902 and 443 were realigned to make a “T” intersection. TERRY AHNER/TIMES NEWS
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation District 5 Executive Christopher Kufro (center) discusses regional progress made during the 2024 construction season in the parking lot at the Route 443 improvement project along Blakeslee Boulevard in Lehighton Monday afternoon. Pictured with him are, from left, Michael Guidon, PennDOT District 5 Assistant District Executive for Construction, and at right, Scott Vottero, PennDOT District 5 Assistant District Executive for Design. TERRY AHNER/TIMES NEWS
Work on the $21.9 million Route 443 project included reconstructing the roadway in Lehighton Borough and Mahoning Township; adding a center turn lane along the corridor; adding left-turn lanes and traffic signal improvements at two intersections; drainage improvements; and rehabilitating the Route 443 bridge over Mahoning Creek. TERRY AHNER/TIMES NEWS