Overview
- PennDOT confirmed the road under the Commercial Street Bridge will close on June 29 and remain shut through August while crews install a replacement span using a slide-in method.
- Residents and the Swisshelm Forward group say they were told only a one-day test closure and expected work to start around July 10, leaving them surprised by the June 29 start date and the multi-week duration.
- PennDOT says the closure schedule can change and that crews posted notification messages on digital message boards two weeks before the confirmed start date in line with agency standards.
- The slide-in technique requires an extended local closure so crews can remove the old span and set the new one in place in a controlled operation that officials say is needed to restore structural safety and improve traffic flow on a section of I-376 used by more than 100,000 vehicles daily.
- Community leaders warn the unexpected timing will disrupt commutes, school and summer-camp transport, and local planning, and they are urging PennDOT to use direct outreach like email or community notices to reduce hardship and confusion.