In November, the week before Thanksgiving, PennDOT officials announced a traffic pattern change approaching the Pennsylvania Turnpike, just before Green Lane in Bristol Township.
PennDOT sent out a release, locals, including yours truly, either didn’t see or read or know about.
A slew of contacts beginning on the morning of December 12 complained about “the new red light at the entrance ramp for the turnpike interchange.”
The November release from PennDOT warned motorists about the upcoming changes to U.S. 13 (Bristol Pike) and Interstate 95 roadway area saying there will be a new traffic pattern and traffic signal at the Delaware Valley interchange (Exit #42) in Bristol Township for reconstruction, realignment and bridge replacement.
The release specifically pointed out December 11, as an important too.
A “new pattern, starting on Wednesday, December 11, U.S. 13 (Bristol Pike) thru traffic will be reduced to a single lane in each direction through the signalized intersection area through early summer 2020.”
Last week, a PennDOT Spokesperson, reiterated the temporary status of the new light saying its will be there till the summer and at which time we expect work to be completed and a return back to its original status.
The PennDOT Spokesperson also said The Pennsylvania Turnpike project includes the total reconstruction and realignment of the two-lane interchange ramp between U.S. 13 (Bristol Pike) and I-95. The contractor will remove the existing ramp bridge over U.S. 13 (Bristol Pike), construct a replacement of the ramp bridge over Elwood Avenue; and install a new signalized intersection with U.S. 13. A single lane turn-around loop at the new signalized intersection will be used for emergency/authorized vehicles only.
The new signal light threw off many and caused delays throughout the area adjacent and around Rt 13 and the interchange once it was put it place.
Local motorists were “livid” to say the least beginning the morning of December 12 when discovering the new traffic signal and mounting delays that came with it.
“Its a s**t show”one Bristol woman said. “It used to take my husband 20 minutes to get home from Neshaminy it took him an extra hour just to get off that exit last week”
Its infuriating that people get paid to design these things, the fuming motorist said.
Another Bristol area resident doesn’t believe for one minute the light is temporary.
Just makes no sense.The light is going to be needed even after the work is done, just to insure traffic flows correctly, she opined,
The traffic light is on what appears to be a new line hanging from the interchange overpass, as it dangled in the windy conditions, last week.
PennDOT officials recognize the area has been the focus of a lot of work in recent years, saying we understand the frustration of motorists living in the area, but it is temporary….. until Summer 2020, that is.
Editors Note: The above story was initially published Sunday evening and has been edited from its previous version.
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