PROJECT FACTS

WHAT:In 2000, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation starts the second year of a $250 million, multi-year project to widen five miles of U.S. Route 202 between Gulph Road and the bridge over North Valley Road to six lanes. PennDOT also is improving interchanges at Interstate 76, U.S. Route 422 and Chesterbrook Boulevard.

WHY:PennDOT is widening US 202 and improving key interchanges to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion. US 202 is vital to the Greater Philadelphia Region. This expressway carries between 70,000 and 105,000 vehicles a day. The interchanges at I-76 and US 422 combined handle an estimated 180,000 trips daily. US 202's heavy traffic volumes combined with weave conditions at certain ramps make traffic backups and delay a daily occurrence.

CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE:On March 16, PennDOT starts the second year of construction on US 202. The project will last until late 2003.

LIMITS:North Gulph Road in Upper Merion Township to the bridge over North Valley Road in Tredyffrin Township

DISTANCE:5 miles

TOTAL PROJECT COST:$250 million (engineering, right of way, construction)

US 202 WIDENING:PennDOT is widening US 202 from four lanes to six - 3 northbound and 3 southbound - by expanding into the 44-foot wide median. US 202 will widen to eight lanes between the Paoli and Devon interchanges to accommodate six through lanes plus an auxiliary lane in each direction for travel between interchanges.

US 202/I-76/US 422 INTERCHANGE:PennDOT is building several new ramps with grade separations at US 202's interchanges at I-76 and US 422 to eliminate disruptive weave conditions. PennDOT also is relocating the US 202 North off-ramp to I-76 East; building a new ramp to connect US 422 East to the new ramp leading from US 202 North to I-76 East; reconstructing the off-ramp from US 422 East to US 202 South; building an off-ramp from US 422 East to East Swedesford Road; building an off-ramp from East Swedesford Road to US 202 South; building ramps leading to US 422 West and US 202 North from the intersection of County Line Road and Devon Park Drive; building service roads alongside southbound US 202 to provide direct connections from I-76 and US 202 South to US 422 West and East Swedesford Road; widening US 422 East to four lanes from US 202 to just east of the Pennsylvania Turnpike bridge, and replacing the Norfolk Southern railroad bridge over I-76.

US 202/CHESTERBROOK INTERCHANGE:Crews built a new bridge to carry Chesterbrook Boulevard over US 202 in 1999. In 2000, they will rehabilitate the old bridge over US 202 and build a ramp from Chesterbrook Boulevard to US 202 South. In 2001, PennDOT will complete the interchange by building a ramp from US 202 North to Chesterbrook Boulevard.

CONSTRUCTION AREA SPEED LIMIT:US 202's posted speed of 55 miles per hour between I-76 and Paoli will lower to 45 mph during construction.

NUMBER OF CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS:1. Advanced Utility Relocation: Construction began in July 1998 and ended in June 1999. Under a $9.4 million contract, crews relocated several utility lines near US 202 between Gulph Road and Old Eagle School Road.

2. US 202, Section 402: $57.5 million contract began March 1999 and will last until summer 2002. Consists of widening US 202 from the bridge over North Valley Road to Old Eagle School Road, building new ramps at the Chesterbrook Interchange, building a ramp to connect East Swedesford Road with US 202 South, and building part of a ramp from US 422 East to East Swedesford Road.

3. US 202, Section 403: $32.1 million contract will start in early April and run through fall 2001. Work consists of building new ramps at US 202/US 422 Interchange, extending Devon Park Drive, and building a new ramp from US 202 North and US 422 East to I-76 5. US 202, Section 405: PennDOT expects to start construction in early 2001 and finish in spring 2003. This contract consists of widening I-76, building new ramps at US 202/I-76 Interchange, replacing the Norfolk Southern bridge over I-76, and building a multi-use trail bridge over I-76.East.

4. US 202, Section 404: PennDOT expects to start construction in late 2000 and finish in fall 2003. Work consists of widening US 202 to six lanes from Old Eagle School Road to Gulph Road, replacing Old Eagle School Road and Warner Road bridges over US 202, building new ramps at US 202 interchanges at US
422 and I-76.

KING OF PRUSSIA INN MOVE:In August, PennDOT will move the historic King of Prussia Inn from the median of US 202 to Bill Smith Boulevard in Upper Merion Township. The move is being made as part of a $1.6 million project.

LANE CLOSURES ON US 202:PennDOT will keep two travel lanes open in each direction, except during late night hours when traffic may reduce to a single lane in one or both directions. Motorists will face lane closures Sunday through Thursday nights from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., and on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:01 a.m. to 10 a.m.

LOCAL ROAD IMPACTS IN 2000:Motorists using Swedesford Road, West Valley Road and Valley Forge Road will face lane closures at night where the roads pass under US 202. Restrictions will be in place while crews widen the overhead bridges.

US 202 CONSTRUCTION IN 1999:Construction on US 202 began March 16 and ended October 9. In 1999, crews widened and paved US 202's northbound shoulder and median from just south of US 422 to the bridge over North Valley Road; widened three bridges over local roads; built a new Chesterbrook Boulevard bridge; performed drainage and ramp work near the highway, and built three park and ride lots. During the winter, construction continued adjacent to the highway.

TRAFFIC VOLUMES:US 202 carries between 70,000 and 105,000 vehicles a day between Paoli and King of Prussia.

SOUND WALLS:PennDOT will install four miles of noise walls at several locations under this project. The cost of sound walls is approximately $16 million.

US 202 INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM:PennDOT will install Intelligent Transportation System components on this five-mile stretch of US 202 and on nearby expressways to better manage traffic. Under this project, PennDOT will place ITS equipment on US 202, I-76 (west of Conshohocken), I-476 (north of I-76) and US 422 (east of PA 29). The plan includes 42 closed circuit television cameras on the expressways, 12 permanent and portable variable message signs, and microwave detectors on US 202 to improve incident detection. ITS construction is expected to start in 2001.

INCENTIVE/DISINCENTIVE:In 2000, PennDOT has a $30,000 a day Incentive/Disincentive (I/D) for the contractor to finish construction on US 202 between Old Eagle School Road and the bridge over North Valley Road by October 31. In 1999, the contract had a $15,200 I/D and the contractor earned $334,400 by finishing the work 22 days ahead of schedule. In addition, PennDOT will assess a $5,000 an hour penalty against the contractor for keeping a travel lane closed on US 202 past the time when all lanes should have been opened.

FUNDING: US 202 construction is financed with 80 percent federal and 20 percent state funds.

LOCAL FUNDING:Tredyffrin Township will contribute $6 million to the construction of the Bay Colony ramps (US 422 East to East Swedesford Road; East Swedesford Road to US 202 South), extension of Chesterbrook Boulevard to Route 252, and the completion of the Chesterbrook interchange.

US 202 ORIGINALLY BUILT:Engineering began in the early 1960s to build the US 202 Expressway between West Chester and King of Prussia. PennDOT built US 202 between I-76 and State Route 252 from late 1964 to late 1967 at a cost of $3.4 million. The section from Route 252 to Route 29 was built between early 1967 and late 1968 at a cost of $4.9 million.