Drivers advised to adhere to speed limit on I-70
Drivers traveling Interstate 70 between the north junction with Interstate 79 and the Beau Street exit in South Strabane Township should make sure they adhere to the 45 mph speed limit along that stretch of highway.
Work on the new diverging diamond interchange at the Murtland Avenue exits off Route 19 continues. The diverging diamond interchange requires traffic to cross over and switch lanes on Route 19, with traffic signals directing the flow to allow drivers to pass through the area or get on the highway in either direction.
Golden Triangle Construction of Robinson Township started work on the $53 million project in September. The scheduled completion date is November 2017.
“We talked with state police, and they are going to be patrolling that area and enforcing the speed limit,” said Scott Faieta, assistant construction engineer for PennDOT. “Drivers really need to slow down in the work zone. State police will be issuing citations to violators.”
Faieta said fines in work zones are doubled.
“Locals need to take heed of the warning and those from outside the area need to be accountable drivers,” he added. “We have guys working there. It is for everyone’s safety.”
Faieta also reminded drivers they need to stop at the stop signs on the ramps to the highway from the Murtland and Beau Street interchanges.
“Drivers need to stop at the stop bars and not drift out onto the highway,” he said.
Drivers on Route 19 can expect lane restrictions in both directions starting Monday. Faieta said workers will upgrade drainage in the area to accommodate what is needed for new ramps. Work will be done nightly from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. He expects this phase to take about a month.
The project is on schedule, Faieta said. The existing traffic pattern will continue, with traffic being pushed out to the shoulders in each direction while crews work in the median.
“It will continue like that through February and March,” Faieta said. “Then work will escalate. You will see more being done and there will be some ramp closures.”
Faieta said there was some traffic tie-ups on the highway when emergency work had to be done to fix potholes that formed on the shoulders now being used to carry traffic.