State College, PA –The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) alerted drivers traveling Route 45 westbound toward State College and Pine Grove Mills that the traffic pattern in its Route 26/45 intersection work zone will shift on Tuesday, October 4. The work zone is located about 1½ miles north of Pine Grove Mills.

The contractor will split Route 45 westbound traffic into separate lanes ahead of the intersection. Traffic bound for Pine Grove Mills will use the designated left lane to complete their left turn onto Route 26 southbound. Drivers bound for State College will use the designated right lane to complete their right turn onto Route 26 northbound. Traffic on Route 45 eastbound toward Boalsburg is not being diverted, but PennDOT urges all drivers in this and all work zones to obey posted speed limits and to always buckle up.

PennDOT reminds drivers that lane widths through the work zone are reduced to 10 feet and urges drivers of wider vehicles to find an alternate route. It also reminds drivers may encounter flaggers in the roadway throughout the work zone as they enforce short-term daylight lane closures.

Overall work on this project includes constructing turning lanes, widening, roadway realignment, drainage improvements, guide rail installation, permanent traffic signals, and miscellaneous construction. Other work includes replacing an existing concrete bridge with a single-span box beam bridge.

By realigning the intersection, adding a traffic signal, overhead lighting, and turning lanes, PennDOT expects a better flow of traffic, safer turning maneuverability from all directions, and reduced congestion during high-traffic volume events locally. 

Charles C. Merlo Inc. of Mineral Point, PA, is the contractor on this $5 million project, which PennDOT expects to be complete by mid-November.

Changeable message boards will be in place to alert drivers to the work zone. PennDOT reminds drivers to exercise caution in this and all work zones, obey posted speed limits and always buckle up.

Motorists are encouraged to "Know Before They Go" by checking conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles 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 in Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Juniata, McKean, Mifflin, and Potter counties at www.penndot.gov/District2.

Information about infrastructure in District 2, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.gov/D2Results.

Find PennDOT's planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.

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MEDIA CONTACT:  Marla Fannin, 814-765-0423; Timothy Nebgen, 814-765-0598

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