Campus Life

I-99 construction week of July 23 may impact Penn State commuters

Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has issued an announcement about ongoing construction on I-99 in Centre County that may impact the Penn State University Park community.

The work will take place between Monday, July 23, and Friday, July 27, on the three-mile stretch of I-99 in College and Patton Townships between the Atherton Street exit and the bridges spanning the Bellefonte Trail near the Waddle Road interchange.

Specifically, PennDOT has announced the following advisories for motorists:

  • On Monday, July 23 and Tuesday, July 24, the contractor will be working in the southbound passing lane near the Gray’s Woods exit.
  • On Wednesday, July 25, crews will be working to open the passing lane and close the travel lane. Roadway flaggers will be present to direct traffic into the appropriate lane.
  • On Thursday, July 26, through Friday, July 27, the contractor will beginning removing pavement from the southbound travel lane.

PennDOT reminds all motorists to use both lanes up until the merge point when approaching the construction zone. At the merge point, take turns merging into the open lane and proceed through the work zone. By cooperating and using the late merge system, it will create a zipper-like effect that will allow traffic to move more fluidly through the zone, reduce travel delays and discourage aggressive merging.

Motorists are also reminded that preventing other drivers from using the late merge system by blocking a lane or attempting to force them off the road is aggressive driving behavior that can result in citations. Penalties for traffic citations are doubled in work zones and aggressive driving behaviors are among the leading causes of highway crashes and fatalities in Pennsylvania.

Last Updated July 24, 2018