Highway Reconstruction To Close Part Of Route 23 In Conshohocken, Pa.
CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. (CBS) - Thousands of motorists who use Route 23 on a regular basis in the west Conshohocken area are going to have to seek an alternate route starting Monday morning.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will close a section of the road for a reconstruction project that will last the next 14 months.
PennDOT's Gene Blaum says crews will put up the barriers Monday morning at 9, closing Route 23 also known as Front Street in West Conshohocken not far from the Schuylkill Expressway ramps all the way up to Swedeland Road in Upper Merion.
Crews have to move several utility lines, including those underground, as part of the major road project that will include a realignment of the narrow Balligomingo Road intersection.
Blaum says some 15,000 drivers use that stretch of Route 23 daily; 20,000 at the Ballgomingo Road area.
He says for traffic going eastbound on Route 23 from the Bridgeport area, the detour starts at Swedeland Road, Route 320, to the Schuylkill Expressway and off at the Route 23, Conshohocken exit to Matsonford Road, and back over to Route 23.
Westbound motorists on Route 23 from the Gladwynne area would follow the reverse.
But Blaum says if you're on Interstate 76, getting off at Conshohocken isn't going to get you far.
"If you're coming west on the Schuylkill Expressway, and you wanted to go west on Route 23, don't get off at the Route 23 exit. Go up to the Gulph Mills interchange and then follow the detour to get on Route 320 to bring you down to Route 23."
The project is slated for completion in July 2012.
Reported by Mark Abrams, KYW Newsradio
