Drivers who use the I-81 and Route 11/15 interchange in East Pennsboro Township were scheduled to get their ramps back Oct. 28 after months of road construction.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced that repairs were complete and all four ramps at Exit 65 in Cumberland County would reopen that afternoon. The ramps had been closed since July 23 for a pavement preservation project.
The reopened connections include:
- Northbound I-81 to southbound Route 11/15 toward Enola.
- Northbound Route 11/15 to northbound I-81.
- Southbound I-81 to northbound Route 11/15 toward Marysville.
- Southbound Route 11/15 to southbound I-81.
Not everything is back to normal. PennDOT said the Valley Road detour would remain in place while construction continued in the area.
Lane shifts, restrictions and channeling devices will also remain along the corridor. PennDOT said no lane restrictions are permitted on I-81 during daylight hours or on Route 11/15 during peak morning and afternoon travel times.
Those peak periods run from 6 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m.
Bigger project still underway
The interchange work is part of an $8.8 million project that covers Route 11/15 from just south of Valley Road to just north of Bella Vista Drive. The I-81 portion extends from Exit 65 to the Miller Street bridge.
JVI Group Inc. of York Springs is the contractor.
The work includes concrete patching, asphalt resurfacing, highway lighting, drainage, guide rail updates, pavement markings and sign upgrades.
PennDOT expects the full project to be completed by June 15, 2027.
Schedules are subject to change due to weather. Drivers can check current conditions at 511PA.
