A $115.7 million reconstruction project that will give motorists a smoother ride on nearly 6 miles of Interstate 80 in Mercer County is scheduled to start the second year of construction next week.
The Interstate 80 Reconstruction Project includes major improvements to the highway from the Ohio state line to mile marker 5, including milling, asphalt and concrete paving, concrete patching, drainage and guiderail upgrades, right-of-way fencing, concrete curbing, topsoil, seeding/mulching, highway lighting, signing, highway markers line painting, and permanent digital message boards.
Work also includes repairs to five bridges, including the replacement and widening of the bridge over Route 318 in Shenango Township.
In 2026, phase 2 of the project will be completed. This work includes construction of the median and westbound portion of the bridge over Route 318, reconstruction and resurfacing work on the westbound lanes from the Interstate 376 interchange to Shenango River Bridge, as well as the eastbound lanes from the Ohio state line to the Shenango River Bridge.
Construction is expected to restart on March 16, 2026, weather permitting. The project got underway in 2025 and is expected to be completed in 2027.
Drivers should anticipate short-term lane closures as the project restarts. A long-term traffic shift for the westbound and eastbound lanes is expected to start in late April.
Throughout the project, drivers should remain alert for traffic pattern shifts and lane restrictions, and can anticipate travel delays, especially during high traffic times. Work and traffic impacts will be minimized as much as possible during holiday travel periods.
The contractor is Glen O. Hawbaker of State College, PA. The contract cost is $115,680,680.00, which is to be paid with 100 percent federal funds.
This section of interstate is used daily by approximately 28,500 vehicles on average, of which more than 45 percent are larger vehicles like tractor trailers.
Information on the I-80 project is available online at www.pa.gov/DOTDistrict1 under the Projects Near You and the District 1 link.
PennDOT urges motorists to slow down when driving in work zones, and also to be alert to changing conditions, avoid distractions and to pay attention to signs and flaggers. Drive responsibly in work zones for your safety and the safety of the workers. Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.
511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.
Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties at www.pa.gov/DOTDistrict1.
Information about infrastructure in District 1, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.pa.gov/D1Results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.
Find PennDOT news for the northwest region on X or Facebook.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Jill Harry, 814-678-5035 or jharry@pa.gov