LEHIGH COUNTY, Pa. — A portion of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Lehigh County will be closed this weekend for construction.
Crews are replacing the bridge that carries I-476 over Huckleberry Road in South Whitehall Township, near Allentown. The bridge is at milepost 59.2.
The highway will be closed in both directions between the Mahoning Valley Interchange (Exit 74) and the Lehigh Valley Interchange (Exit 56).
The shutdown is scheduled from 9 p.m. on Friday, October 14, until 4 a.m. on Monday, October 17.
A 70-mile detour will take traffic around the work zone. Officials are urging travelers to avoid the area if possible.
The closure will allow crews to demolish the current bridge that carries the Turnpike over Huckleberry Road and replace it with a new bridge that will be installed.
The construction technique being used, Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC), eliminates the need for months or years of single-lane traffic patterns and other restrictions by closing that part of the roadway for a limited period over a weekend.
You can check real-time travel conditions with the WNEP Traffic Tracker.
SOUTHBOUND DETOUR - LOCAL TRAFFIC:
Exit at Mahoning Valley Exit #74 and take U.S. Route 209 North to State Route 33 South (21.2 miles). Follow Route 33 South to U.S. Route 22 West (18.4 miles). Follow U.S. 22 West and reenter I-476 South at Lehigh Valley Interchange #56 (15.8 miles).
SOUTHBOUND DETOUR - THROUGH TRAFFIC:
Exit at Pocono Exit #95 and take Interstate 80 East to State Route 33 South (25.5 miles). Follow State Route 33 South to U.S. Route 22 West (23.6 miles). Follow U.S. Route 22 West and reenter I-476 South at Lehigh Valley Interchange Exit #56 (15.8 miles).
NORTHBOUND TRAFFIC:
Exit at Lehigh Valley Exit #56 and take U.S. Route 22 East to State Route 33 North (16.5 miles). Follow State Route 33 North to Interstate 80 West (24.5 miles). Follow Interstate 80 West and reenter I-476 at Pocono Interchange Exit #95 (25.1 miles).
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