Bridge demolition on I-81 interchange continues

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(Gallery by Paul Chaplin | pchaplin@pennlive.com)

Under ideal circumstances, transportation officials hope to reopen all lanes of Interstate 81 underneath the ramp damaged by last week's tanker fire by early Tuesday morning.

"Our goal will be [to reopen I-81] for the Tuesday morning rush," said Mike Keiser, the area district executive for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation during a news conference Sunday at the scene of the fire on I-81, near Exit 67.

"I-81 should be back to full lanes in all directions by Tuesday," he said.

Keiser also announced the completion of crossover lanes splitting the two westbound lanes of Route 22 into a single eastbound and a single westbound lane. Access to Harrisburg via the crossover should be available after 4 p.m. Sunday, Keiser said.

The tanker overturned and erupted as it passed underneath Route 22 eastbound on the ramp from northbound I-81 to westbound Route 22/322 just after 6 a.m. Thursday, heavily damaging the eastbound Route 22 ramp overhead as flames carried heat into the metal support beams, PennDOT officials said.

Even after crews remove the section of Route 22 east from over I-81 and reopen the interstate, future traffic restrictions are likely as crews turn to assessing the damage done to the ramp from northbound I-81 to westbound Route 22, Keiser said.

"That will likely be taking place off-peak hours, probably overnight," Keiser said.

Much of the work to remove the Route 22 east ramp has been staged off of the northbound I-81 to westbound Route 22 ramp, preventing crews from fully evaluating the extent of damage done to that ramp, said Greg Penny, a PennDOT spokesman.

"They'll have to take a look at the steel and see what the heat has done to it," Penny said. "You could end up having to replace the beams or the entire bridge superstructure, it's still to be determined at this point."

Crews will place wooden planks under the ramp to keep debris from falling into the roadway before they begin repairs to the I-81 to Route 22 west ramp, Penny said. Such a precaution, known as "shielding" is common during such projects, he said.

In the meantime, Keiser urged drivers to remain patient and alert, especially near the detours on north and south I-81 at the Route 581 and Interstate 83 interchanges. Traffic is typically backed up for two miles prior to either interchange and conditions will likely worsen as drivers return from the Mother's Day weekend and commercial trucks arrive Monday.

Police and transportation officials have cited these backups as a factor in at least one major crash, a fatal Friday afternoon that claimed the lives of a New York couple on I-81 north in Silver Spring Township.

"We're asking for your continued patience," Keiser said.

PennDOT also released a cost estimate for the demolition project following Sunday's news conference. Including the removal of the eastbound Route 22 ramp and the construction of the crossover lanes, the project has run about $10 million so far, Penny said.

That cost includes the rental of three 500-ton cranes that run about $8,000 a day in rental fees, Penny said. An additional estimate for the cost of repairing and replacing the damaged ramps — still months away, according to PennDOT officials — was unavailable.

Outbound from Harrisburg to points north and south on I-81

Access to north and southbound I-81 remains open on either side of the crash site via the westbound Route 22/North Cameron Street exit from the city.

This exit also allows motorists a route from Harrisburg to points north along Route 22/322 toward Dauphin Borough and State College.

Motorists planning to take westbound Route 22 out of the city should keep an eye out for PennDOT signage guiding them through the crossover split with eastbound traffic as of Sunday evening.

Northbound on I-81 from Carlisle

Northbound lanes along I-81 from the Carlisle area are open as far as the Route 581 interchange, where drivers are directed south toward I-83 to reach I-81 northbound on the opposite end of the closure in Dauphin County.

Exits 61 and 65, at Wertzville Road and Route 11/15, respectively, are open to drivers from Mechanicsburg and Enola to access northbound I-81 as far as Exit 67 into the city.

Motorists headed north from Carlisle can opt to exit Route 581 in Mechanicsburg, then use exits 61 or 65 to access I-81 north across the George N. Wade Memorial Bridge for a more direct route into the city.

Southbound on I-81 from Grantville

Southbound I-81 is open until Exit 70 at the I-83 interchange for drivers seeking a route into the city. Motorists can take south I-83 to access the city.

To reach Carlisle, motorists on southbound I-81 in Dauphin County can take Exit 70 onto southbound I-83 at the interchange, cross the south I-83 bridge and return to southbound I-81 via northbound Route 581.

Drivers headed southbound to Carlisle can also continue onto North Cameron Street via Exit 67, turn around, then access I-81 south via the North Cameron Street (Exit 67) to cross the George N. Wade Memorial Bridge and continue along I-81 south.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike

Toll charges are still being waived by the turnpike, but only between Harrisburg East (Exit 247) and Carlisle (Exit 226), according to the turnpike.

The toll waivers will remain in effect until Interstate 81 reopens, the turnpike announced Thursday.

Motorists also are asked to plan for delays on the turnpike. Turnpike traffic center officials believe the increase use of the roadway in light of the I-81 closures may have played a role in at least one major accident reported along the stretch in Mechanicsburg earlier Friday.

Traffic conditions and speeds

Check with Pennlive's traffic camera feeds or the PennDOT website directly for up-to-the-minute views of traffic cameras in the area during the afternoon commute.