Overview

2013 brings construction along the entirety of Section 300 in Tredyffrin and East Whitleland townships, Chester County.  In addition to continuing widening and reconstruction between the Mill Lane overpass and the bridge over North Valley Road (Section 320), early stage work gets underway on improvements in the final segment of the project (Section 330) south of Mill Lane to the US Route 30/Exton Bypass. In all, 6.5 miles of US 202 will be under different stages of construction this year.

Construction Outlook for 2013

In early-to-mid 2013, work continues on the northbound side from Mill Lane through the Route 29 Interchange complex, which includes the on-ramp from Swedesford Road, the off-ramp to Route 29 North, and the off-ramp to Matthews Road. In this area, two through lanes are being totally reconstructed and a third northbound lane is being added, along with a collector-distributor road that will separate through traffic from vehicles entering and exiting the highway.

North of Matthews Road, northbound and southbound traffic is riding on the rebuilt and widened northbound lanes as work gets started on improvements on the vacated southbound side. Excavation, removal of the old concrete pavement, drainage work and erection of sound walls will continue through the end of the year.

South of Mill Lane to Route 30, preparation of the Section 330 work zone starts with work to reconstruct the northbound shoulder. 

In mid-to-late 2013, work on the northbound side will finish and all traffic will be shifted onto the rebuild and widened northbound side from Mill Lane north. Southbound widening and reconstruction will then extend southward to encompass the remainder of Section 320. By mid-year, Section 330 shoulder reconstruction will finish. Work will then shift to the median, which will be rebuilt to carry traffic during subsequent stages of widening and reconstruction between Mill Lane and Route 30/Exton Bypass.

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.

Travel Impacts in 2013

• 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
• Planebrook Road narrowed at Route 202 overpass

Earlier Phases of Section 300 Improvements

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: 2016

Project Brochures, Newsletters
PennDOT will publish information about ongoing and upcoming work periodically during construction on Route 202.  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.