Heads up, West Chester drivers: repair work is pressing forward on eastbound U.S. 322 (West Chester Bypass), aiming to tackle the aftermath of Hurricane Ida's 2021 fury which left its mark in the form of embankment erosion, as reported by PennDOT. The focus is set between the Penn Drive overpass and Phoenixville Pike in West Goshen Township, and there’s a $2.2 million price tag on fixing this natural undoing.
For those who plan to navigate these parts, come Monday, June 17 to Thursday, June 20, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, there will be a lane closure on this stretch of the eastbound bypass, so add a buffer to your travel times—backups and delays are on the menu, as per PennDOT. The disruption promises to test the patience of motorists, but the promise of finer roads lies beyond, the construction itself nestled within the larger dance of urban progress and nature's sometimes harsh steps.
The scope of PennDOT's project is robust, including the construction of a 150-foot retaining wall to bolster the embankment, fixing up the deteriorated roadway shoulder, milling, paving, installing new guide rail, and improving the stormwater drainage situation, wrapping it all up with riprap for that extra touch of scour protection. The contractor strapping on the boots for the job is Lobar Site Development Corporation based in Dillsburg York County; 80 percent of the funds hail from federal coffers while the remaining 20 percent bleed from state resources.
If you’re the sort to keep a watchful eye on the goings-on of our roads, visit the 511PA website or app; they've got traffic delay warnings, weather forecasting, traffic speed intel, and more than 1,000 traffic cams to satisfy your curiosity and planning needs, according to PennDOT. You can also dial 5-1-1 or take advantage of regional traffic alerts to stay a step ahead because isn't that better than stewing in your car wondering how long until you move more than ten feet?
