Lots of information about the Duke Street project
NORTHUMBERLAND — PennDOT’s big Duke Street project is underway in Northumberland, but this is just the beginning. Phase 1 through 3 of the project is scheduled to be completed this summer.
The work will shut down for Pineknotter Days, with major construction beginning July 10, says T Jay Cunningham, PennDOT Assistant District Executive for design, “There will be minimal work before Pineknotter days, but after Pineknotters days we will be reconstructing the upper couple of blocks of Duke Street toward the end of town.”
The construction work will be done in phases to improve traffic flow says Cunningham, “The only place that will be closed is the couple of blocks that we will be working on at any given time. For instance phase one of Duke Street up by 8th Street, we’re going to shut down 2 to 3 blocks, it’ll be closed but you’ll be able to get up to those 2 or 3 blocks from both directions.”
Cunningham spoke about the challenge to detour traffic but maintain business access, “It was very difficult. We coordinated quite a bit with the borough, local officials, and businesses. We firstly met with all the businesses on Duke Street to understand their needs. We purposely chose the phasing very specifically so that we could maintain access to businesses during the project.”
There are 13 total phases in this 3 year reconstruction project. The project includes curb to curb reconstruction on Duke, Water, and King Street. The project focuses on improving the flow of traffic through major intersections with longer turning lanes and a larger turn radius.
The project should be completed by June of 2020; PennDOT will hold an annual meeting to address the construction being done that year. (Sarah Benek)
Planned Activities for 2017
JUNE
*Implement non-local truck detour
*Remove trees
*Remove house at the corner of Water and King Streets
*UGI work on Duke Street
*Verizon work on Duke Street
JULY to OCTOBER
*Implement phases 1-3 detour
*Reconstruct northern section of Duke Street, 8th Street to 4th Street
*UGI complete work on Duke Street
*Aerial utility work on Duke Street (Verizon, PPL, others)
*Aerial and underground utility work on Front Street
WINTER 2017-18
*No detour through town; truck detour still in effect
*Sidewalks, curbs, other miscellaneous work
*Utilities will continue work on Duke, Water, Front and King Streets
