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PennDOT Prepares To Suspend Work On Major Projects For Pope's Visit

By Mark Abrams

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- PennDOT is preparing for the Pope's Arrival by scaling back on its ongoing road projects on major highways in the region.

PennDOT's Gene Blaum concedes it has been a busy summer for road crews in the region, but that's about to change.

"There will be no construction related lane closures on Interstate 95 or on any other regional expressway in the Philadelphia area during the entire week of the World Meeting of Families and through the weekend of the papal visit."

That means from Sept. 22 through 27th, work that had been clogging up lanes on major roadways -- especially at night -- is suspended.

"Key traffic routes that are feeding into the city from Delaware County, Montgomery County, Bucks County, we will also be limiting any type of lane closures on those roadways on the days leading up to the papal visit, and then, obviously, throughout the weekend."

Blaum says crews also are halting their work on removing bridges over the Vine Street Expressway.

However, they expect to finish work shortly on the Spring Garden Street project near the art museum.

Blaum says the goal is to keep key traffic routes feeding the city from the suburban counties clear so visitors coming to town for the pope's visit or the World Meeting congress can come into town unimpeded.

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