TARENTUM — The Tarentum exit from northbound Route 28 will reopen Friday afternoon, four days ahead of schedule.
The ramp, used by about 13,000 vehicles daily, closed Aug, 28 to allow crews to continue the summer's reconstruction of Route 366 from Route 28 to the Tarentum Bridge.
PennDOT spokesman Jim Struzzi said the exit was to open again on Sept. 11. He credited the Route 366 project's prime contractor, Golden Triangle Construction Co. of Imperial, with finishing this part of the work ahead of schedule.
More restrictions to come
• The Tarentum on-ramp to Route 28 southbound will close at 9 a.m. Monday through Thursday, Oct. 4, for reconstruction work.
Traffic will be detoured to the northbound Route 28 on-ramp. Traffic then should use the Natrona Heights exit and re-enter Route 28 using the Natrona Heights southbound on-ramp.
• Also starting at 9 a.m. Monday, Tarentum's East Seventh Avenue will be closed at the Route 366 intersection. Traffic will be detoured from Route 366, right onto East Eighth Avenue, right onto Lock Street, then right back to East Seventh Avenue.
That detour is anticipated to be in effect through Sunday, Oct. 7.
• East Sixth Avenue will be closed between Route 366 and Wood Street starting at 9 a.m. Monday, Struzzi said.
Crews will work around the clock through Sunday, Sept. 23 to patch concrete. Signs will direct motorists to use East Seventh Avenue, right onto Lock Street, and turning back onto East Sixth Avenue, Struzzi said.
New lanes open
By Friday afternoon, work should be complete to switch traffic to the newly constructed eastbound Route 366 lanes near Freeport Road (East 10th Avenue) so that reconstruction can begin on the westbound lanes.
Struzzi said most of the overall $7.7 million project is on track to be largely completed by late November — if the area enjoys good weather. Even so, some lane restrictions likely will continue into December, he said.
“It's pretty much full speed ahead,” said Struzzi.
The Route 366 overall project includes concrete reconstruction, drainage, concrete ramps and curbs, sidewalks, better guard rails and other work on almost 2 miles of Route 366 from the New Kensington side of the bridge to the two-lane section of Bull Creek Road west of the Route 28 interchange in Fawn.
“PennDOT thanks motorists for being patient,” Struzzi said.
Chuck Biedka is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-226-4711 or cbiedka@tribweb.com.
