What’s been done during the years of Schuylkill Expressway road construction

Road construction: The necessary evil that mires drivers in traffic with the promise of eventual travel improvement.

It’s a familiar reality for a reader who often drives on the Schuylkill Expressway, among the legions of commuters with hands tight on the steering wheel and eyes on the signs that inform them how long cars are expected to be stuck in traffic.

The reader had hoped the construction would lead to added lanes or new barriers. But, after years of ongoing road work and not seeing that dream become reality, they asked Curious Philly, The Inquirer’s forum for questions about the city and region: What are the improvements to the Schuylkill Expressway?

The answer spans three main projects, some predating the last time the Eagles won the Super Bowl.

In summer 2017, PennDot resurfaced 12.5 miles of the Schuylkill Expressway, according to spokesperson Brad Rudolph.

From west of U.S. 202 to U.S. 1 (City Avenue), Upper Merion Township, West Conshohocken Borough, and Lower Merion Township saw construction for almost two years.

For over $21 million, a new guide rail, rumble strips, delineators, and mileage markers were installed along the I-76 corridor. Roads were milled and existing pavement was overlaid and rehabilitated. Base repairs also took place, and damaged traffic signs were replaced or mended. And, three different structures had their joints expanded.

By the spring 2019, construction was over. But road closures were not.

In 2018, a new project had been started on the expressway. But this time it was less about the concrete and more about the speed limit.

The idea was to “improve corridor congestion, travel time reliability, and reduce rear-end crashes” Rudolph said.

It took three years and $8,647,955 to install variable speed limit and queue warning systems along 14 miles of I-76, between King of Prussia and Philadelphia.

This allows PennDot to manage alerts remotely from its regional traffic management center. In the future, that system is expected to alert drivers when they can and can’t use the shoulder as an additional lane when flexible lanes are introduced at some point between 2027 and 2028.

Until then, drivers can continue to navigate the traffic resulting from the $36.8 million in repairs that began in 2023.

Five miles of the Schuylkill Expressway, the associated on-and-off ramps, and 23 bridges from U.S. 1 to Interstate 676 (Vine Street Expressway) in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, and Philadelphia are expected to be resurfaced and repaired by early 2025.

Despite what can seem like inconvenient traffic, “the improvements were needed to ensure the continuation of service on this critical interstate and provide travelers with a smoother and safer roadway,” Rudolph said.