Overview

In Spring 2011, PennDOT began widening and reconstructing 4.2 miles of the US Route 202 Expressway between the overpass at North Valley Road, located south of the Chesterbrook Interchange in Tredyffrin Township, and the overpass at the Valley Creek, just north of the Route 401 Exit in East Whiteland Township.  The project (Section 320) is the third-of-four phases of the overall Route 202, Section 300 initiative that began in 2007 with the replacement of three bridges and improvements to roads and intersections along the corridor. Phase 2 construction in 2009 and 2010 replaced three additional overpasses. The longer structures provide room for the widening that is now underway.

Construction Outlook for 2011

All work on Route 202 will progress in stages that will maintain two lanes of traffic in each direction on Route 202 during periods of heavy use, minimizing impact on users of the busy commuter route. All on- and off-ramps will remain in service during construction.

Stage 1 work will begin in early spring and will take approximately six-to-eight weeks to complete. Under this initial stage, the outside southbound shoulder will be rebuilt so that it can be used as a travel lane during Stages 2 & 3. No work in the northbound lanes during this stage.

Stage 1 Travel Impacts

• Maintain two, slightly narrowed lanes southbound during peak travel times
• Maintain two lanes northbound
• Occasional off-peak, overnight and weekend lane restrictions southbound
• All on- and off-ramps in the work zone remain open

Stage 2 work will begin in mid-spring and take approximately six months to complete. Under Stage 2, construction barrier will be placed in the center of the southbound lanes. Then, two lanes of southbound traffic will be shifted to the right, with the outside lane now riding on the rebuilt shoulder and the inside lane riding on the existing outside southbound lane. Working behind the barrier, workers will rebuild and pave the median so that it can be used as a northbound travel lane during Stage 3. Crossovers also will be built at the northern and southern limits of work during Stage 2. Some construction activity may take place in the northbound lanes during crossover construction.

Stage 2 Travel Impacts

• Maintain two, slightly narrowed lanes southbound during peak travel times
• Maintain two lanes northbound
• Off-peak, overnight and weekend lane restrictions either direction
• All on- and off-ramps in the work zone remain open

Stage 3 construction starts in late Fall 2011 and will extend through most of 2012. Two lanes of northbound traffic will be shifted to the southbound side just north of the Route 401 Exit. Southbound traffic will remain in the pattern that was established during Stage 2. With traffic removed from the northbound lanes, the contractor will begin to systematically

• remove the existing pavement;
• excavate the median area for construction of the third through lane;
• excavate the right shoulder area for construction of the collector-distributor lane;
• install stormwater drainage components;
• erect sound wall posts and panels;
• rebuild the ramps at the Route 29/Swedesford Road interchange complex; and
• construct new concrete pavement.

Stage 3 Travel Impacts

• Maintain two, slightly narrowed lanes in each direction on Route 202 during peak travel times
• Occasional off-peak, overnight and weekend lane restrictions either direction
• All on- and off-ramps in the work zone remain open
• North Valley Road narrowed at Route 202 overpass

Stage 4 construction is expected to start in late 2012 or early 2013 and extend until mid-2014.  All traffic will be shifted onto the rebuilt and widened northbound side. With traffic removed from the southbound lanes, the contractor will begin to systematically

• remove the existing pavement;
• excavate the median area for construction of the third through lane;
• install stormwater drainage components;
• erect sound wall posts and panels; and
  
• construct three lanes of new concrete pavement.

Stage 4 Travel Impacts

• Maintain two, slightly narrowed lanes in each direction on Route 202 during peak travel times
• Occasional off-peak, overnight and weekend lane restrictions either direction
• All on- and off-ramps in the work zone remain open
• North Valley Road narrowed at Route 202 overpass

Phases 1-2

The second phase of bridge replacements over Route 202 in Chester County wrapped up in 2010 with two new structures now in place at the Route 29/Great Valley Interchange. New bridges at Route 29/Morehall Road and Swedesford Road, along with the opening of the new Cedar Hollow Road overpass  and raising of the abandoned railroad overpass immediately to the north in 2009, round out the first (Section 310) and second (Section 311) phases of improvements that have been completed on schedule.

Construction on the first stage of bridge replacements (Section 310) wrapped up in November 2008 with completion of the new Swedesford Road overpass, located between the Route 30 and Route 401 interchanges, and the new Church Road bridge, located immediately south of the interchange. A new Mill Lane overpass was opened to traffic late in 2007.

The bridges were replaced with longer structures to provide room for improvements that will take place on the expressway during the final two phases of the overall project to reconstruct Route 202 from North Valley Road, in Tredyffrin Township, to the US Route 30 Interchange in East Whiteland Township. Section 320 expressway reconstruction is scheduled to begin in 2011. That project will widen and rebuild Route 202 between the existing six -lane section near North Valley Road (south of Chesterbrook) and the bridge over Valley Creek, located between the Route 29 and Route 401 interchanges.

Turn lanes were constructed at two intersections and a section of roadway approaching the Route 202 interchange at Route 401 was widened in 2007 under Section 310 as well. Improvements at Phoenixville Pike/Planebrook Road/Swedesford Road, and at Phoenixville Pike/Route 401, also has been completed.

Project Background
Significant growth in the region has increased traffic on US Route 202 to levels well beyond those that the two-lane highway originally was designed to handle. In fact, 73,000 vehicles a day now travel on this section of Route 202, and the improvements we have planned will help the highway carry its present and future traffic more efficiently.

Under the overall Section 300 project, PennDOT will utilize significant federal and state transportation funding, most of which is collected at the fuel pump and through licensing fees, to

• Reconstruct Route 202's four existing travel lanes;
• Add a third travel lane in each direction, utilizing the existing grass median;
• Rebuild seven overpasses to provide additional horizontal and vertical clearance;
• Construct a two-lane collector-distributor (C-D) roadway along northbound Route 202 at the Route 29/Great Valley Interchange to eliminate conflicts between ramp traffic and through traffic;
• Improve the Route 401/Frazer Interchange and install new traffic signals;
• Install Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) components, including highway cams and electronic message signs;
• Improve the expressway’s storm water management system; and
• Erect sound walls at eligible locations.

Due to the large size of this project, Section 300 improvements will be completed under four separate contracts: Section 310, Section 311, Section 320, Section 330. Sections 310 and 311 have been completed.

Sections 310 and 311
Bridge Replacements and Intersection Improvements

PennDOT rebuilt six bridges over Route 202 and modified a seventh, and completed improvements to two intersections in advance of work to widen and rebuild the main line expressway.

Section 310
Replace three (3) bridges* over Route 202 at

• Swedesford Road (South)
• Church Road
• Mill Lane

Improve two (2) Intersections

• Phoenixville Pike/Route 401
• Phoenixville Pike/Planebrook Road/ Swedesford Road

Start Construction: March 2007
End Construction: Fall 2008

Section 311

Replace/modify four (4) bridges* over Route 202 at

• Swedesford Road (North) near Route 29
• Route 29
• Cedar Hollow Road – New bridge on new alignment
• Abandoned Rail Crossing north of Cedar Hollow Road - Modify and raise

Start Construction:February 2008
End Construction: Summer 2010

Sections 320 and 330
Main Line Reconstruction and Widening

Section 320 - North End Reconstruction and Widening

• Reconstruct and widen Route 202 to three lanes each direction for 4.2 miles between the Valley Creek bridge (between Route 29 and Route 401 interchanges) and North Valley Road;
• Construct two mile long, barrier-separated Collector-Distributor lane northbound beginning at Valley Creek bridge through the Route 29 Interchange;
• Modify/widen Route 202 bridges over Valley Creek and North Valley Road;
• Modify on and off ramps at Route 29 Interchange;
• Install concrete median barrier-glare screen;
• Construct noise walls at eligible locations; and
  
• Improve storm water management system.

Start Construction: 2011
End Construction: 2014

Section 330 – South End Reconstruction and Widening

• Reconstruct and widen Route 202 to three lanes in each direction for 2.1 miles between the Valley Creek bridge to Route 30/Exton Bypass Interchange;
• Modify Route 202 bridges over Planebrook Road;
• Replace Route 202 bridge over Chester Valley Trail and Route 401;
• Modify on and off ramps at Route 401 Interchange and install traffic signals;
• Widen Route 401 for left turn lanes at the Route 202 interchange;
• Modify eastbound Route 30 ramp to northbound Route 202;
• Construct noise walls at eligible locations;
• Improve storm water management system; and
  
• Construct park and ride lot at Route 30 and Route 322 (Caln Township)

Start Construction: 2013
End Construction: 2015

Project Brochures, Newsletters
PennDOT will publish information providing details of upcoming construction at the beginning of each construction season.  To receive these publications in the mail, go to Request Publications and fill out the on-line form to be added to the mailing list. Copies of all publications also will be available on-line as PDFs.