PennDOT plans to host two local meetings as work continues on Interstate 95 and the Blue Route (Interstate 476) in anticipation of regional events in 2026.
Open houses are scheduled for 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday at True Vine Missionary Full Gospel Baptist Church, 701 Morton Ave. in Chester, and 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Chester City Hall Community Room, 1 E. Fourth St., also in Chester.
Michael McGuire, project manager of the 476 project, gave an update on the multi-phased project to the Delaware County Transportation Management Association.
He spoke of five parts of the improvements. They include the MacDade Boulevard interchange on the Blue Route; major maintenance on the Blue Route from the Schuylkill Expressway to I-95; intelligence transportation system upgrades; improvements in the West Chester Pike area of the Blue Route; and the flex lanes.
McGuire said the MacDade Boulevard interchange project will continue the rest of this year and into 2025.
He explained that the northbound off-ramp to MacDade Boulevard has been permanently closed as traffic is directed to the light.
A new bridge has been constructed over Crum Creek, and the pedestrian bridge has been removed,lthough a new one will take its place, along with sidewalk improvements.
There is also an extension of three lanes north on the Blue Route past Bullens Lane.
“The idea there was to make sure that 476 was not backing up onto I-95 and to allow more merge time northbound,” McGuire said. “That’s cut back on some delays in that area, but there’s still delays there.”
He said that by this time next year, the MacDade Boulevard portion should be complete.
The second part of this project involve major maintenance, including tree clearing and vegetation removal along with resurfacing all lanes, ramps and shoulders from MacDade Boulevard to the Schuylkill Expressway. ramp and shoulder paving will continue in October.
“If you’ve tried to drive the road after 8 o’clock at night, you’ve been part of lane closures out there and maybe caught up in it,” McGuire said.
He noted similar projects occurring on Interstate 76.
“Yes, District 6 is currently paving both the Schuylkill and the Blue Route at the same time, and that will go on into next year,” McGuire said. “The reason for that is in 2026, that is the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence so Philadelphia is having a number of events like the World Cup in soccer. Major League Baseball’s All Star game will be here that summer.”
As a result of those events, he said, no construction or lane closures will occur for several months that summer.
“For that reason, we’re trying to get a lot of stuff done in advance,” he explained.
This part also includes guide rail updates and lighting upgrades as well as repairing 49 bridges and structures and 23 stormwater basins, of which some sound barrier walls have been removed so the contractor can access them. The bridge work, McGuire said, will not be finished until spring 2026.
Third, there are updates to the intelligent transportation system, a computerized system that detects traffic flow and varies the speed limit based on conditions.
“Goal here is to reduce crashes and increase vehicle throughput,” McGuire said.
Through dynamic message signs, motorists can learn of conditions ahead as speed limits may be lowered, preventing stop-and-go conditions.
McGuire said Georgia and Wyoming saw a 29% to 34% reduction of rear-end crashes using this technology as speeds of approaching vehicles are gradually lowered.
He said it also allows speed limits to be reduced in severe weather events.
The fourth part is Lawrence Road near West Chester Pike getting an additional lane added westbound on West Chester Pike from eastbound Lawrence Road that would not be signaled.
“The project is in final design,” McGuire said. “The goal is to reduce congestion at Route 3 and better allow traffic to get on the Blue Route northbound in the morning.”
He said construction is anticipated to take all of next year for that.
Finally, he spoke of the flex lanes, something he said is several years out as it’s only in preliminary engineering stages.
This project would widen the inside shoulder of the Blue Route, in parts where it’s only two lanes, to be used when there is heavy congestion.
Source: Berkshire mont