Pre-construction activities on a project designed to rebuild and improve a portion of U.S. Highway 422 in Lower Pottsgrove Township, about 30 mi. northwest of Philadelphia, began Nov. 20, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).

The entire project will encompass approximately 1.7 mi. of U.S. 422 and replace two bridges between the Sanatoga Interchange and Porter Road in the Montgomery County community.

In a news release on its website, PennDOT explained that the purpose of the $83.6 million road and bridge project is to extend the design life and improve ride quality and safety of the expressway. Additionally, crews will upgrade and repair any of U.S. 422's roadside elements, such as stormwater basins, drainage inlets, slope stabilization, guiderail and signs, which are in poor condition.

The state agency also noted that under the improvement project, U.S. 422 will be reconstructed on both existing and revised alignments to improve horizontal curve radii, shoulder widths, and vertical clearance to enhance travel and safety.

A culvert at Sprogels Run, located just east of Porter Road, along with an existing single-span bridge carrying the highway over Porter Road, will also be removed, and replaced with a new two-span bridge. The bridge carrying U.S. 422 over Sanatoga Road and Sanatoga Creek also is due to be reconstructed and widened.

Additional improvements to the road corridor, according to PennDOT, include:

• Reconstructing and lengthening the acceleration ramp from the Sanatoga Interchange (Township Line Road) to westbound U.S. 422.
• Installing Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) equipment and components along U.S. 422 and its arterial roadways.
• Building sound barriers along portions of westbound U.S. 422.
• Upgrading existing road signs and installing new signage.
• Replacing the closed system drainage and cross culverts throughout the project limits.
• Improving the highway's stormwater management facilities, including two extended detention basins.

Full Construction to Begin in Earnest After Thanksgiving

J.D. Eckman Inc. of Atglen, Pa., is the general contractor on the U.S. 422 improvement project in Lower Pottsgrove Township, which is financed with 100 percent federal funds.

The construction effort is expected to be complete in late 2028.

PennDOT cautioned motorists using U.S. 422 through the area that a slow-moving shoulder closure was put in place Nov. 20-21 on U.S. 422 between Evergreen Road and Armand Hammer Boulevard in the westbound direction from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., and in the eastbound direction from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Drivers are advised to allow extra time when traveling through the work areas because backups and delays may occur, PennDOT noted. All scheduled activities are weather dependent.

The initial closures were done so that surveying crews could begin laying out the features of the work area, including locations for the placement of road construction signs and the limits of the work zone, in advance of the placement of construction barriers and other early-stage construction that is scheduled to get under way following the four-day Thanksgiving Day weekend.

This U.S. 422 construction contract is the seventh project in PennDOT's initiative to rebuild and improve the federal highway's bypass near Pottstown, Pa. Since 2012, PennDOT has completed six projects, valued at $263.4 million, to upgrade the U.S. 422 corridor in Montgomery and Chester counties.

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