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U.S. 202 - 500

JOHNSON HIGHWAY TO MAIN STREET

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is moving through with final design and construction to rebuild and improve Markley Street (U.S. Route 202 South) in Norristown and Johnson Highway in Norristown and East Norriton Township. The plan to improve Markley Street, which is referred to as U.S. 202 Section 500, extends from just south of its intersection with Main Street to the intersection of Johnson Highway. Johnson Highway is slated for improvement between Markley Street and DeKalb Street.

 

Visit the Markley Street website for up to date information Markley Street (U.S. 202 Section 500) Website

 

PennDOT will build the Section 500 project in three construction sections:

 

•  Section 510 is the southern section that extends from just south of Main Street to Elm Street. This part of Markley Street. This part of Markley Street has moved to construction as of January 23, 2020 and construction is anticipated to continue through Fall 2022.  Please see the Section 510 website for construction updates and detour information.

•  Section 520 is the northern part of Markley Street that runs from Elm Street to Johnson Highway, and includes Johnson Highway and the rehabilitation of the Main Street Bridge over Stony Creek.  The construction of Section 520 was completed and opened to traffic in September 2015.

•  Section 530 will provide a new connector road between Lafayette Street and Washington Street.  This part of the project began construction in Fall 2019. PennDOT and Norristown have worked closely on this project since preliminary engineering began in late 2002, and this relationship formed the basis of the agreement to transfer the ownership and maintenance responsibility of Markley Street from Norristown to PennDOT.  This transfer of ownership occurred in November 2013, and the section of Markley Street between Airy Street and Johnson Highway became State Route 3020.

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Visit the new Markley Street website for up to date information.

 
Section 510 - Main Street to Elm Street

 

Construction began on Section 510 on January 23, 2020. The final design plans have been completed and final construction bid documents are being prepared for Section 510.  The design team has incorporated the following roadway, bridge, streetscape and pedestrian enhancements into the final plans.

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  • Rebuild the four-lane section of Markley Street (U.S. 202 South) between Main Street and Marshall Street;

  • Reconstruct and widen Markley Street (U.S. 202 South) to provide one northbound lane, two southbound lanes and a center turn lane between Marshall Street and Elm Street;

  • Replace the two existing bridges for Markley Street (U.S. 202 South) over Stony Creek with a single bridge to accommodate five lanes of traffic;

  • Rehabilitate the Markley Street (U.S. 202 South)/Elm Street stone arch bridge over Stony Creek;

  • Construct a new sidewalk on the west side of Markley Street (U.S. 202 South) to link SEPTA train stations at Main Street and Elm Street;

  • Reconstruct and widen Main Street between Water Street and Barbadoes Street to provide additional travel lanes and improve traffic flow through the signalized intersection at Markley Street (U.S. 202 South);

  • Install brick pavers, trees and decorative pedestrian streetlights along Main Street between Barbadoes Street and Markley Street (U.S. 202 South);

  • Upgrade railroad grade crossings at Main Street and Marshall Street by installing new gates and signals in coordination with SEPTA;

  • Install Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) components to better manage traffic flow along both Markley Street (U.S. 202 South) and DeKalb Pike (U.S. 202 North) corridors;

  • Replace existing Markley Street (U.S. 202 South) traffic signals at Main Street, Marshall Street and Elm Street; and

  • Install new ADA curb ramps at all intersections to include pushbuttons, countdown signals and continental crosswalks to enhance pedestrian safety.

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Section 520 – Elm Street to Johnson Highway

Construction was completed for Section 520 in September 2015 which included the following improvements:

•  Reconstructed Markley Street between Elm Street and Johnson Highway to provide one lane in each direction, with a center lane for left turns and recessed parking bays in residential areas. These improvements were designed to fit within the existing roadway footprint, except where minor widening was required for parking bays. The plan included the realignment and signalization of Coolidge Boulevard to align with Brown Street to improve traffic flow and safety at the Markley Street intersection;

•  Built a small off-street parking lot on the southwest corner of Harding Boulevard and Markley Street to compensate for the loss of on-street parking between Elm Street and James Street;

•  Replaced existing traffic signals on Markley Street at Harding Boulevard, Fornance Street and Johnson Highway, and installed a new signal on Markley Street at the intersection with Coolidge Boulevard and Brown Street; interconnection and coordination of traffic signals with fiber optic cable to enhance traffic flow along the corridor;

•  Rehabilitated the Main Street stone arch bridge over Stony Creek and rebuilt the roadway approaches between Astor Street and Water Street; and

•  Improved Johnson Highway between Markley Street and DeKalb Street; by performing minor widening to provide additional turn lanes at the intersection of Markley Street; restriped Johnson Highway to provide a center lane for left turns and eliminated existing on-street parking spaces east of Pine Street.

 

Section 530 - Lafayette Street and Washington Street Connection

PennDOT’s design team has completed the engineering on this section of the project and construction began on this section in October 2019.  The following element have been incorporated into the final design:

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• The proposed connection between Lafayette Street and Washington Street will be located approximately one-hundred (100’) feet west of the intersection of Barbadoes Street and Lafayette Street.  The connector roadway, which will be approximately 250’ long, will become a Norristown Municipality public street.

• Relocating the Schuylkill River Trail (SRT); providing an ADA-compliant trail crossing of the connector road near Washington Street;

• Providing bicycle and ADA-compliant pedestrian connections from the SRT to the intersection of Lafayette and Barbadoes Streets; and

• Installing a retaining wall parallel to the connector road in order to lower the roadway while maintaining the adjacent parking lot grade. 

 

The rehabilitation of the Airy Street bridge over Markley Street originally part of Section 530 has been placed ‘on hold’.  Updates on this section will be posted when they are known.

 

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