Interchange is second of its kind to open in Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Yassmin Gramian today announced the opening of Pennsylvania’s second diverging diamond interchange (DDI) at Route 222 and Route 322 in Ephrata, Lancaster County. 

This innovative interchange configuration improves safety by eliminating conflicts with left turns and through movements and improves operations by providing dedicated turn lanes and decreasing backlogs onto the Route 222 mainline. It also enhances non-motorized modes of transportation by improving sidewalk connectivity and providing lanes for bicycles and horse and buggies along Route 322.

“Significant progress has been made in improving our transportation system,” Governor Wolf said of today’s announcement. “The interchange is an example of how innovative engineering improves the safety and efficiency of our highway network.” 

“We are always looking for ways to implement state and national innovations like this interchange design,” Secretary Gramian said. “This is truly a multimodal facility that improves connectivity for many types of transportation.”

Remaining work for the project includes paving ramps and connecting roads, highway lighting, shoulder work and stormwater management facilities. 

The $10.9 million contract for the project was awarded to JD Eckman, Inc., of Atglen, PA. The contract completion date is May 2022. However, work is expected to be substantially completed by fall of 2021.

Another DDI project currently is underway in south central Pennsylvania at Interstate 83 Exit 4 for Route 851 and Shrewsbury Borough in southern York County. 

This $29,867,900 project includes replacing the northbound and southbound bridges that carry I-83 over Route 851, reconstructing and lengthening the on and off ramps within the interchange, replacing the culvert that carries Deer Creek beneath the interchange, and installing traffic signals, drainage, sidewalks, stormwater management facilities, highway lighting, guiderail, signs, and pavement markings. This project is expected to be completed in August 2021.

The state’s first DDI opened in 2017 at Interstate 70 and Route 19 in Westmoreland County. Several others are in various stages of design in Pennsylvania.

“In addition to the diverging diamond interchange projects, there are numerous construction projects starting or continuing in southcentral Pennsylvania,” said Chris Drda, acting executive for the eight-county District 8 region that includes Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties.  “We ask motorists to use caution and devote 100 percent of their attention to the act of driving when traveling through our work zones.”

For more information about the Route 322/222 DDI, including visualizations and materials about how the interchange works, visit SR 322/222 Interchange Improvement Project (penndot.gov). 

Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, and York counties at www.penndot.gov/District8.

Information about infrastructure in District 8, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.gov/D8Results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.

Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAHarrisburg and like the department on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PennsylvaniaDepartmentofTransportation and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pennsylvaniadot/.

MEDIA CONTACT: Dave Thompson, 570-368-4202, or at dmthompson@pa.gov. 

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