I-70 work at Yukon, Madison exits triggers detours; Route 22 rehab to continue in Salem

Motorists who are heading east on Interstate 70 and intend to use the Yukon or Madison exits in Westmoreland County can expect to encounter detours this week as crews from contractor Trumbull Corp. work on improving the two interchanges.

Closures of eastbound ramps at the exits, and resulting detours, were slated to begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday,April 27, weather permitting, according to PennDOT.

Meanwhile, lane restrictions are set to continue through early July on Route 22 in Salem as part of a PennDOT project to rehabilitate concrete on that highway.

Closure of the Yukon eastbound ramps (at Exit 53) is expected to remain into June, with the I-70 on-ramp set to reopen first. The ramps at the Madison interchange (Exit 54) are to stay closed through late July.

The closure also will affect a section of Waltz Mill Road between the roundabout at Waltzmill Flats Road and the I-70 eastbound ramps.

The I-70 closures are part of a $92.8 million project that involves lengthening the acceleration and deceleration lanes at the two exits, constructing an eastbound auxiliary lane between the interchanges and widening the median and shoulders on a nearly four-mile section of the interstate.

Those driving east on I-70 and heading for a destination north of the Yukon or Madison interchanges will instead exit at the New Stanton interchange (Exit 57), then return west on the interstate and use the westbound off-ramp of the desired interchange.

Eastbound motorists headed for a destination south of either interchange will detour through the New Stanton exit, return west on I-70 and take the Yukon Exit, following Huntingdon and Wyano-Waltz Mill roads.

Those who want to enter eastbound I-70 from the Yukon or Madison interchanges will follow Wyano-Waltz Mill and Huntingdon roads and then westbound I-70, finally using the Mt. Pleasant/West Newton interchange (Exit 51) to return east on the interstate.

Motorists traveling north on Waltz Mill Road from south of I-70 will follow Wyano-Waltz Mill and Huntingdon roads and westbound I-70 to the Mt. Pleasant/West Newton interchange, then return east on I-70 to the New Stanton interchange. They will detour west again on I-70 before taking the Madison off-ramp and traveling along the Hunker-Waltz Mill Road to Waltz Mill Road.

Those heading south on Waltz Mill Road from north of I-70 will follow the Hunker-Waltz Mill Road and westbound I-70 to the Yukon off-ramp. They then will follow Huntingdon and Wyano-Waltz Mill Road.

The Route 22 project in Salem involves pavement patching, joint cleaning and sealing, guide rail upgrades and signage replacement between Route 66 near Delmont and Route 119 near New Alexandria.

Crews will be working between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays, but resulting single lane restrictions are to remain in place around the clock until July 2.