I-83 Capital Beltway Master Plan

County: Cumberland and Dauphin
Municipality:Lemoyne Borough, Harrisburg City, Swatara Township, Lower Paxton Township
State Route: I-83
Local Name: I-83 Capital Beltway, New Cumberland Interchange, Paxton Street Interchange, Eisenhower Interchange, Derry Street Interchange
Project Type: Master Plan
Last Updated: 2003

The I-83 Master Plan is a transportation planning study on the Interstate 83 corridor in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The 18-month study focused on improvements in the section of I-83 from the New Cumberland Interchange (Exit 40B) to the junction with I-81 (Exit 51), a distance of approximately 11 miles. The existing roadway and interchanges were evaluated to identify deficiencies. Issues such as roadway capacity, safety characteristics and the expected life of the existing roadway pavement were analyzed. The deficiencies of the existing transportation system was summarized into a Project Needs Analysis.

Following the identification of project needs, a range of concepts was examined for the potential to alleviate traffic and transportation problems. The solutions considered included traditional techniques, such as physical improvements to the existing highway corridor. Other solutions that were evaluated included alternative techniques, such as increased reliance on public transportation, and other methods to consolidate commuter traffic and reduce the number of vehicles on the roadway.

The outcome of the I-83 Master Plan process was the identification and the prioritization of future projects in the I-83 corridor. For example, where indicated by traffic studies, the Master Plan was addressed the need to reconfigure and rehabilitate the existing interchanges and to widen identified sections of I-83. Individual engineering projects that are identified through this study can then be programmed through the Harrisburg Area Transportation Study (HATS). Through this process, these multiple projects within the I-83 Master Plan study corridor would be prioritized. All the projects that are identified may not proceed at the same time. As these projects are programmed and funded, they will follow the process of preliminary design, environmental clearance, final design, right-of-way acquisition and construction. That process will include a substantial amount of continued public involvement and municipal coordination.

The I-83 Master Plan Study focused on transportation planning for the section of I-83 from the New Cumberland Exit to the junction of I-81, a distance of 11 miles. The study identified specific projects, such as the improvements to certain interchanges, that can be programmed and scheduled into PENNDOT’s highway planning process. The overall goal of the I-83 Master Plan is to preserve the quality of life and to promote economic viability in the Harrisburg area by providing an effective transportation plan for the I-83 corridor.

The I-83 mainline and ramps will require reconstruction for a number of reasons: first, to correct the problem of deteriorating pavement; second, to add capacity; and third, to apply current design criteria to the roadway geometry. The minimum operational requirements are: design to Interstate standards; 60 mph design speed on the mainline; and three through lanes in each direction between Interchanges.

Logical termini for individual highway projects were established based on the ability of each project section to be programmed, studied, and constructed. The 11-mile corridor was divided into four sections, three In Dauphin County and one in Cumberland County. Key environmental features were identified.

Finally, design concepts were developed for each of the four project sections and one concept in each section was identified by PennDOT as a baseline for the environmental impacts and cost (Summary of Concept Characteristics table in Part V-B of this I-83 Master Plan). In general, the concepts involve the addition of lanes to provide increased capacity, the addition or reconfiguration of interchanges to meet current design criteria and to provide the required access, and the upgrade of local roads to improve access and egress to the Interstate highway.

In summary the I-83 Master Plan is a comprehensive tool to assist the local Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), which is the Harrisburg Area Transportation Study (HATS), and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) in the planning and programming of future transportation projects on the I-83 corridor.