Widening Of Schuylkill Expressway Being Considered

Officials are considering widening the Schuylkill Expressway and using the shoulder as a third lane to alleviate traffic, according to a report.

The section of I-76 between Route 1 and Route 202 is considered by AAA to be one of the 50 worst bottlenecks in the entire country.

Ideas such as building a double-deck have been bandied about since the road’s November 1958 construction, 6 ABC reports. However, little progress was ever made in that proposal due to the cost, which would be in the billions.

The most popular idea has been opening the shoulder during peak traffic hours or for special events, the report states.

PennDOT is currently studying ways in which the shoulder could be engineered to be wide enough to operate as a third lane throughout the length of the highway.

One major potential drawback is that emergency vehicles use the shoulder and would not be able to respond as quickly in crucial situations.