PA travel restrictions went into effect on June 15. So if you’ll be driving in the Allegheny Tunnel area, pop on your favorite podcast or crank up the radio. Turnpike construction may impact your nighttime commute around milepost 122 in Somerset County.
Over the next eight months, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will be closing select tunnels and redirecting traffic. Workers have said the eastbound tunnel is the first on the docket, meaning there will be bi-directional traffic in the westbound tunnel starting this week. These changes will be in effect Monday through Thursday, starting at 8 PM.
PA Travel Restrictions Illuminate Roads at a Cost
The state has authorized a two-year project to replace lighting in local tunnels. Workers are also performing daytime maintenance due to be finished June 25. The new lights will likely take until January 2021, though. So if you’ll be on the road at night, plan your trips accordingly. You’ll need to leave more time for your commute or take a different route.
For best safety practices, slow down as you approach the tunnel. Keep a healthy distance between you and the cars around you. (Think of it as social distance driving.) There will be no room for you to pull over in case of emergency. So, if your car breaks down or you have vehicle trouble, stay in your car and turn on your hazards. Personnel have put up cameras around the tunnel and will be monitoring footage to send help.
Luckily, all road work will take a break over the July 4th weekend to accommodate higher traffic volumes. If you want to get out of town, you’ll have a brief window of reprieve. After that, crews will return to work with an increased schedule of Monday through Friday. Construction will always begin at 8 PM.
