Detours prompted by I-70 ramp patching in Hempfield, weight limit in Allegheny Township
Westbound motorists on Interstate 70 will encounter a lane restriction and a ramp closure and detour beginning Monday in Hempfield.
Meanwhile, vehicles that exceed a new weight limit on a bridge in Allegheny Township also are being directed to follow a detour, according to PennDOT.
Westbound I-70 drivers will not be able to use Exit 57 (Hunker/New Stanton) through Friday, Oct. 10. According to PennDOT, they instead will take Exit 54 (Madison/Hunker), following Hunker and Waltz Mill roads. They’ll then reverse direction on I-70, taking the eastbound off-ramp at Exit 57.
Motorists exiting the Pennsylvania Turnpike onto Exit 57 still will be able to enter I-70 through a roundabout in New Stanton.
A single-lane restriction will be in place on westbound I-70 from Monday through Oct. 22 between the Pennsylvania Turnpike entrance ramp and the New Stanton-Youngwood intersection.
The ramp closure and lane restriction will allow Tresco Paving and Gulisek Construction to patch concrete as part of $11.3 million in infrastructure improvements.
Inspection shows bridge deterioration
Results of a routine inspection have prompted PennDOT to reduce the weight limit on a bridge on White Cloud Road, between Route 356 and Melwood Road in Allegheny Township.
PennDOT has dropped the weight limit from 27 tons to 17 tons and is recommending a detour of 2.5 miles — using Route 356 and Melwood Road — for single vehicles that exceed the new limit. The weight restriction doesn’t apply to emergency vehicles with PennDOT-issued permits.
According to PennDOT, the inspection revealed deterioration of the bridge’s primary load-carrying members.
Built in 1953 with steel I-beams, the 149-foot bridge is classified with an overall serious condition.
PennDOT said about 19% of the roughly 380 vehicles per day that use the bridge are trucks that could be affected by the new weight restriction.
More road work
PennDOT is planning additional work on roads in Westmoreland County during the week beginning Monday:
• A slide repair and paving will take place on Paintertown Road in North Huntingdon.
• Patching will take place on Route 31 (Glades Pike Road) in Donegal Township and Route 130 (Pleasant Unity Road) in Cook.
• Shoulder stabilization will take place on Route 31 (Glades Pike Road) in Donegal Township and Route 711 in Ligonier Township.
• A pipe and box culvert will be installed on Plumber School Road in South Huntingdon.
• Inlet cleaning will take place on Route 711 in Fairfield.
Crews will pick up litter, replace road signs and perform other tasks on various routes countywide.
Motorists should anticipate potential detours, lane restrictions and flaggers in work areas.
Residents can call PennDOT toll-free at 800-349-7623 to report road maintenance concerns and the locations of dead deer on state highways.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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