Clearfield, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced that the contractor on its Route 26 betterment project will shift traffic patterns through the work zone beginning Thursday, June 26. This overall project to
reconstruct and widen the roadway between the 161/Bellefonte and 163/Jacksonville interchanges of Interstate 80 is a companion project to the high-speed connector between I-80 and I-99. It will support the regional freight economy and improve the reliability of roadway travel through the region.
The work zone will remain open to northbound traffic only, and beginning Thursday, the contractor will switch northbound traffic to the left lane, from the current pattern using the right lane. Route 26 will only be open to northbound traffic heading toward Howard/Jacksonville. Southbound traffic heading toward Bellefonte/State College will merge onto I-80 westbound using Walt Road at the 163/Jacksonville interchange and follow it to the 161/Bellefonte interchange to reconnect with Route 26.
Beginning Friday, June 27, the contractor will begin setting barriers through this work zone. There will be a width restriction of 10 feet once barriers are in place.
Overall work on this project includes increasing the lane and shoulder width of Route 26, reconstruction of the existing roadway, drainage improvements, guide rail installation, and miscellaneous construction. Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc. of State College, PA, is the contractor on this $8.6 million project. PennDOT anticipates project completion in the fall of 2026. All work is weather-dependent.
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 X alerts.
Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Juniata, McKean, Mifflin, and Potter counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District2.
Information about infrastructure in District 2, including completed work and significant projects, is available at http://www.penndot.pa.gov/D2Results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at https://gis.penndot.pa.gov/paprojects/.
Find PennDOT news on X, Facebook, and Instagram.
CONTACT: Timothy Nebgen, tnebgen@pa.gov or 814-765-0598, or Steve Harmic, sharmic@pa.gov or 814-496-6189.