DUNMORE, Pa. — After more than 320 days, a busy exit in Lackawanna County is now back open. PennDOT reopened the Elmhurst Exist on Thursday, reconnecting Interstate 84 with Route 435.
"The deadline was October 27, so they're actually three days ahead of schedule to opening this interchange," said Richard Roman with PennDOT.
The interchange switch is part of PennDOT's Twin Bridges replacement project. The exit was closed in early December of last year as crews removed the left side exit and replaced it with a fly-over bridge interchange.
"People could expect when they're coming from 84 to 435 that the exit is on their right and not on their left," said Roman.
While the exit was closed, drivers had to take an 8-mile detour.
"It's been out of the way, eight miles around. Eight miles times that by a bunch of times. It's been a long year," said Donald Bray, Y-knot Pub owner.
Donald Bray takes the detour every day to get home and runs a business along Route 435 called Y-Knot Pub and Eatery. He said the exit closure caused his business to lose 22%.
"Cutting off everything through here. I'm sure other businesses around here, I've spoken to them. Everybody was down."
Despite a few months of slower business, Bray is happy the exit is back open, and his customers now have a safer way to get to his restaurant.
"It wasn't exactly great, but it's gonna be really nice to be a lot safer," added Bray.