PennDOT schedules informational meetings on I-79 Wexford interchange project

Traffic restrictions and future work plans for a redesign of the Wexford interchange on Interstate 79 will be discussed at two meetings next week in Franklin Park, PennDOT announced Wednesday.

Two sessions will be held, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. and 5:30 to 7 p.m., on Sept. 24 at Saints John & Paul Catholic Church’s Upper Cardinal DiNardo Center Social Hall at 2586 Wexford Bayne Road in Franklin Park.

The church is about a mile west of the interchange, which is in Franklin Park and Marshall Township.

The $46.5 million, two-year project will reconfigure the interchange by removing the northbound off-ramp from I-79 to Route 910, the northbound on-ramp from Route 910 to I-79, and the signalized intersection for those ramps on the eastern side of the interstate.

The ramps will be replaced with two new bridges over the interstate, one south of Route 910 for northbound traffic getting off I-79 and one north of Route 910 for traffic getting on from Route 910 and traveling north. There will then be a single intersection on the western side of the interstate.

PennDOT has said that, during construction, three lanes of traffic in each direction on I-79 are expected during peak travel times, as well as temporary ramps to maintain access for most of the project. There will be short-term lane and shoulder closures.

Beams for the new bridges will be set overnight, requiring traffic stoppages on I-79 north. Stopping traffic will not be necessary for southbound traffic, which will be detoured using the existing southbound off- and on-ramps.

More information about the project is available online. To receive email updates, enroll by sending an email address to nhaney@pa.gov with “Subscribe — Interstate 79” in the subject line.