2-Day Closure On Section Of PA Turnpike's Northeast Extension

PENNSYLVANIA — Officials are urging motorists to avoid a stretch of the Pennsylvania Turnpike's Northeast Extension entirely with a lengthy closure set for the coming weekend.

The turnpike will be shut down in both directions between Lehigh Valley (Exit 56) and Mahoning Valley (Exit 74) from Friday, Oct. 14 to Monday, Oct. 17.

The closure is needed for crews to "safely demolish" a bridge that carries the turnpike over Huckleberry road in Lehigh County's South Whitehall Township.

The Turnpike Commission said they're using a special construction technique, "Accelerated Bridge Construction," since March 2022. This will add a new superstructure over the existing bridge, which was built in 1957.

This technique "eliminates the need for months or years of single-lane traffic patterns and other motorist restrictions by closing that part of the roadway for a limited period over a weekend," the Commission said.

The bridge carries about 30,000 vehicles a day.

The closure goes into place at 9 p.m. Friday and will be lifted at 4 a.m. on Monday.

Detour details are online here.