Adam RollinsThe Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) will spend $300 million to expand Interstate 476 and Interstate 95 by adding flex lanes, improving road conditions and enhancing drainage systems. The project is currently in the design phase, with construction expected to begin in 2028.
The project’s primary goal will be to reduce congestion along major travel routes, using dynamic management methods to provide additional travel lanes during peak travel times or in response to incidents such as crashes or construction.
Both I-476 and I-95 will have flex lanes added, widening the roadways into the existing medians. Their inside shoulders will be widened and upgraded to a consistent width and thickness, designed to operate as travel lanes when needed. The department will install lane control devices consisting of overhead gantries. These electronic signs will display red Xs or green arrows to indicate when lanes are open or closed.
To better facilitate travel, the project will improve seven mainline bridges along the interstates. These bridges will be widened in the median area to accommodate the flex lanes featured in the project vision. Three of the single-span bridges will require superstructure work, while four of the multi-span bridges will need additional excavation work and the installation of piers to facilitate construction.
Plans also incorporate efforts to build retaining walls along some portions of the road to protect infrastructure and drivers. The department will also upgrade crossover sections of the road to movable gate systems, as well as explore adding emergency gated access to better enable mobility for emergency responders.
To improve drainage infrastructure, PennDOT will modify six existing stormwater basins and build 15 new basins.
Photo Courtesy
Famartin via Wikimedia Commons
