Traffic alert: 5-week detour of East Market Street starts soon. What you need to know (2024)

Get ready to detour as a heavily-traveled section of East Market Street near Interstate 83 will be closing for five weeks for a bridge replacement.

The closure is set to begin at midnight on Sept. 27 and will last until early November, according to the state Department of Transportation. The agency revised the schedule because a crane needed for the project was unavailable on Sept. 22, the date it was set to close originally.

The bridge, built in 1959, is located ina tight, congested area by the I-83 overpass, Exit 19,between Belmont Street and North Hills Road on the eastern side of York in Spring Garden Township. About 26,000 vehicles travel itdaily.

Crews will demolish the existing bridge, and a new one will be set in place.

Clearwater Construction Inc. of Mercer, Pa., is doing the work for nearly $6.4 million, a news release states. The entire project, which includes signal upgrades, guide rail work and other construction, is expected to be completed by the spring.

Here's what you need to know about the closure:

Where will East Market Street/Route 462 be closed?

East Market Street, also known as Route 462, will be closed between Belmont Street and North Hills Road, said Dave Thompson, a spokesman for PennDOT.

Drivers will be able to use Belmont Street to patronize local businesses and access I-83.

North Hills Road will be accessible to traffic as it is part of the detour route, he said.

I-83 widening: Some residents prepare to move, sad to be forced from their neighborhoods

What will be the detour route?

Drivers will be detoured around the closure via North Sherman Street, Route 30 and North Hills Road, according to a news release.

For those who normally cut down North Hills Road as a shortcut from Route 30 to I-83 southbound, you instead will need to continue west on Route 30 to the Sherman Street detour, or continue west to meet up directly with I-83.

No alternative route for pedestrians is available, Thompson said.

Emergency responders also will need to detour around the closure. York Area United Fire and Rescue is making adjustments to its response plans, which will take effect immediately when the roadway shuts down, Fire Chief Daniel Hoff said.

The emergency responders will monitor the situation and their response times and make additional changes if needed, he said. The department has a tiered plan.

Why is the five-week closure necessary?

PennDOT has decided to replace the bridge on an accelerated schedule to reduce the impact to traffic and to lessen the time that power lines in the work zone will have to be de-energized, Thompson said.

Otherwise, the work would have taken about a year and a half to complete by doing it in stages, a PennDOT project manager said previously.

Read more:I-83 widening, roundabouts along North George Street part of PennDOT's plans

What about the Rabbittransit bus routes?

Three of Rabbittransit's bus routes − 1E, 12 and 33 − will be impacted by the closure, spokesperson April Heil said.

New routing will begin on Sunday, Sept. 11.

In addition, "the York Stop Hopper zone will temporarily expand to cover a portion of Market Street east of I-83," according to a news release. Fares will be $1.60.

Richard Farr, executive director of Rabbittransit, said the agency decided to start early with the route and timetable changes for a number of reasons, including allowing the drivers to get used to the detour route before everyone else is using it.

The updated schedule and timetable will be on Rabbittransit's website.

The bus schedules will revert to the current schedule once the bridge reopens, he said.

Riders will be notified about the changes through a series of communication methods, such as rider alerts and social media posts.

Riders are encouraged to sign up for rider alerts or download the myStop Bus Tracker app, which will be helpful for customers planning their trips on routes affected by the detour. Updates also are available on Rabbittransit's Facebook page.

Read about the project:Busy East Market Street section by I-83 to shut down five weeks for bridge replacement

Why was the project delayed?

PennDOT had planned to replace the bridge last fall with crews finishing the final paving, line painting and deck treatment in the spring, Thompson said.

But the agency was having trouble getting materials because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, the bridge can only be closed during the spring or fall because of overhead power lines, which can only be de-energized during nonpeak energy months.

"These power lines must be de-energized to allow for the safe operation of the crane that will be used to set precast concrete components on the new structure," Thompson wrote in an email.

That's why the project was delayed a year.

How does this bridge replacement fit into the I-83 widening project?

The replacement of the bridge on Route 462 is one of the early action items before the highway is widened from four to six lanes between the Market Street and North George Street interchanges.

The highway widening, whichwill be done in segments, is expected to start around 2023 and last for several years.

The new Route 462 bridge will be wide enough that no work will have to be done to it when the Market Street interchange is improvedin the future, a PennDOT senior project manager has said.

What else do drivers need to know?

Drivers should plan extra time for their travels, Thompson said.

The public can check on major roadway conditions using 511PA, the news release states. It provides information 24-hours-a-day on traffic delays, weather forecasts and more.

"Hopefully, the traveling public quickly finds the alternate route that best suits them," Springettsbury Township manager Mark Hodgkinson said.