Shapiro Administration Invests $1.2 Billion in 157 Projects to Improve Roads and Bridges in Eastern PA

Shapiro Administration Invests $1.2 Billion in 157 Projects to Improve Roads and Bridges in Eastern PA

April 23, 2026

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Project on Route 33 northbound and southbound will see pavement replacement and safety improvements in Hamilton Township, Monroe County.

Other projects will replace the Route 903 Bridge in Penn Forest Township, Carbon County; rehabilitate the Route 378 “Hill to Hill” Bridge in Lehigh and Northampton counties, and pave Route 309 in Rush Township, Schuylkill County.

Allentown, PA – Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced that 45 projects are scheduled to start during the 2026 construction season while 112 ongoing projects will continue in the six-county, Allentown-based region. The more than $1.2 billion investment in the 157 projects supports Governor Josh Shapiro’s vision of a safe and reliable transportation network that connects people to opportunity and each other.

“Our district continues to address critical infrastructure needs of this growing region,” said PennDOT Engineering District 5 Executive Chris Kufro. “These projects will not only upkeep the roads and bridges but also keep them safe for the many drivers who use them.”

PennDOT anticipates investing the more than $1.2 billion in ongoing and new projects in the region encompassing Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties. Under Governor Shapiro’s Administration, 19,451 miles of roads have been improved statewide, and work has advanced on 1,738 state and local bridges.

Because of the 2025-26 state budget signed into law by Governor Shapiro in November, PennDOT is also investing $37.5 million this state fiscal year to pave and preserve less-traveled, often rural roadways in 20 counties. This roadwork is made possible through Motor License Fund investments redirected from the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) while ensuring PSP’s critical mission continues. Work began last year and will continue this year, with $6 million being invested to improve and extend pavement life on approximately 50 miles in Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, and Schuylkill counties:
• Roadway base repair and leveling to extend pavement life on 22 miles of Routes 209 and 902, Route 1001 (Hatchery Road), Trachsville Hill/Spruce Hollow Road, Hemlock Drive/Packerton Dam Road, and Mahoning Street in Carbon County.
• Repairing and rebuilding nearly 2 miles of Route 4005 (Coffeetown Road) in Lehigh County.
• Roadway repair and roadway leveling to extend pavement life on nearly 24 miles of Route 191, Route 3004 (Lake/Kunkletown Road), and Route 3021 (Neola Road) in Monroe County.
• Roadway leveling to extend pavement life on nearly 2 miles of Route 1007 (Wood Road) and Route 4033 (Ringtown Boulevard) in Schuylkill County.

Overall highlights in the 2026 construction season for District 5 include:
• 197 miles of road improvements;
• 77 bridges will be repaired or updated;
• 332 miles of seal coat;
• 305 miles of crack sealing; and
• 639 miles of shoulder cutting.

Notable projects that are expected to begin this year by county include:

Berks County
• U.S. 222 Widening from Schaeffer Road to the Kutztown Bypass, Richmond, Maidencreek, and Maxatawny townships, est. $83 million.
• Replacing the Route 645 Bridge over Little Swatara Creek, Bethel and Tulpehocken townships, $3.8 million.
• Replacing the Alleghenyville Road Bridge over I-176, Robeson Township, $5 million.
• Replacing the Route 724 Bridge over Allegheny Creek, Robeson Township, $2.7 million.
• Route 345 resurfacing from U.S. 422 to the Chester County line in Union and Exeter townships and Birdsboro Borough, est. $4 million.
• Replacing the East Bellevue Avenue bridge over Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad in Muhlenberg Township, est. $12 million.

Carbon County
• Replacing the Route 903 Bridge over Mud Run in Penn Forest Township, $4.2 million.
• Replacing the Country Club Road Bridge over Mahoning Creek, Mahoning Township, $1.3 million.

Lehigh County
• Intersection improvements on Mauch Chunk Road in South Whitehall Township, $1.7 million.
• Resurfacing Fullerton Avenue from Tilghman Street to Bridge Street in Whitehall Township, nearly $2 million.
• Resurfacing Route 309 from Walbert Avenue to Shankweiler Road in North and South Whitehall townships, $18.2 million.
• Safety improvements on Route 29 from Buckeye Road to Route 100 in Upper Milford Township, $10.5 million.
• Resurfacing Route 378 in the City of Bethlehem, est. $5.5 million.

Monroe County
• Reconstructing I-80 (Section 1, Exit 303 area), est. $217 million.
• Safety improvements and resurfacing on Route 33 in Hamilton Township, est. $13.2 million.

Northampton County
• Resurfacing Route 248 from 25th Street to Route 611 in the City of Easton, Wilson Borough, and Palmer Township, est. $4 million.
• Realigning the Freemansburg Avenue intersection with Farmersville Road in Bethlehem Township, est. $5 million.
• Resurfacing Route 611 from Route 512 to Monroe County Line in Portland Borough and Upper Mount Bethel Township, $2.9 million.

Schuylkill County
• Resurfacing Route 309 from Ben Titus Road to Lofty Hill in Rush Township, nearly $4 million.
• Resurfacing Route 54 from the Columbia County line to Front Street in Ashland Borough and Butler Township, $533,000.

Multiple Counties
• Rehabilitating Route 378 “Hill to Hill” Bridge over Norfolk Southern Railroad, city streets, Delaware & Lehigh Trail, and the Lehigh River in the City of Bethlehem, Lehigh and Northampton counties, est. $74 million.

Notable projects that are continuing this year by county include:

Berks County
• Replacing the I-78 Bridge over Maiden Creek and Route 143 in Greenwich Township, $120 million.
• Improving Route 61 including patching, milling, paving, rehabilitating three bridges and replacing a bridge in Hamburg Borough and Tilden Township, $30.7 million.
• Improving I-78 including patching, milling, and paving in Tilden and Upper Bern townships, $21.98 million.
• Improving Route 61 including resurfacing, drainage upgrades and bridge maintenance in Tilden Township, $13.5 million.
• Route 222 at Long Lane roundabout installation in Maxatawny Township, $9 million.
• Replacing the Route 183/Schuylkill Avenue Bridge over Norfolk Southern Railroad in the City of Reading, $8.47 million.

Carbon County
• Replacing the I-80 Bridge over the Lehigh River, Lehigh Gorge State Park, Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad, and River Road in East Side Borough, Carbon County and White Haven Borough, Luzerne County, $120 million.
• Repairs to a retaining wall along Route 209 in Jim Thorpe Borough and Mahoning Township, $8.47 million.
• Rehabilitating a retaining wall along Hudsondale Street and Hazel Creek, drainage upgrades, guiderail upgrades, and barrier upgrades in Weatherly Borough, $2.8 million.

Lehigh County
• Reconstructing Route 309 at Tilghman Street interchange in South Whitehall Township, $86.47 million.
• Improving I-78 including patching, milling, paving, safety barrier, and drainage improvements in City of Allentown, Salisbury and Upper Saucon townships, $37.8 million.
• Intersection and roadway improvements on Race Street in Catasauqua Borough, $10.2 million.
• Intersection and roadway improvements on Route 145 in City of Allentown, $7.36 million.
• Traffic signal improvements on Route 29 in Salisbury Township, $3.8 million.

Monroe County
• Realigning and reconstructing the Exit 308/Prospect Street interchange on I-80 in East Stroudsburg Borough, $93.8 million.
• Routes 611 and 715 intersection improvements in Pocono Township, $15 million.
• Replacing the Business Route 209 Bridge over Kettle Creek in Hamilton Township, $2.7 million.

Northampton County
• Replacing the Route 33 north and south bridges over Bushkill Creek in Palmer Township and Stockertown Borough, $23.2 million.
• Route 248 realignment in Bath Borough, $5.42 million.
• Replacing the Hecktown Road Bridge over Route 22 in Bethlehem Township, $4.7 million.
• Replacing the Farmersville Road Bridge over Route 22 in Bethlehem Township, $4.34 million.
• Route 611 Delaware Canal retaining wall replacement in Williams Township, $4.1 million.

Schuylkill County
• Reconstruction and safety improvements on Route 61 in Frackville and St. Clair boroughs, and Blythe, New Castle, Ryan, and West Mahanoy townships, $115 million.
• Replacing the Lincoln Drive bridge over Reading, Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad in Rush Township, $2.9 million.
• Replacing the Route 443 Bridge over Mill Creek in Pine Grove Township, $2.8 million.
• Replacing the Brockton Mountain Drive Bridge over Locust Creek in Ryan Township, $1.38 million.
• Milling and paving Burma Road/Hancock Street/Wade Road in St. Clair Borough, New Castle, East Norwegian and Norwegian townships, $1.3 million.

Multiple Counties
• Replacing the Route 329 “Cementon” Bridge over the Lehigh River in Whitehall Township, Lehigh County and Northampton Borough, Northampton County, $21.7 million.

Drivers can check conditions on major roads by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,200 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts.

Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.pa.gov/DOTprojects. Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties at www.pa.gov/DOTdistrict5.

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