The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Engineering District 5 is postponing the closure of Broadway at Cedar Crest Boulevard from June 3 to June 11 due to recent inclement weather. The closure is for work on a project to replace the structurally deficient Cedar Crest Boulevard Bridge over Little Cedar Creek in the City of Allentown and South Whitehall Township, Lehigh County.

Beginning June 11, Cedar Crest Boulevard access to/from Broadway will be closed for approximately six weeks. During this closure, Broadway traffic will be detoured on Mertz Lane, Haines Mill Road, Hamilton Boulevard and Ott Street. During the Broadway closure Parkway Boulevard access to/from Cedar Crest Boulevard will be right-in, right-out only.

Once Broadway opens, Cedar Crest Boulevard access to/from Parkway Boulevard will be closed for approximately six weeks. During this closure, Parkway Boulevard traffic will be detoured on Ott Street, Hamilton Boulevard, Haines Mill Road and Mertz Lane. Also during this time left turns from northbound Cedar Crest Boulevard to Broadway will be restricted.

Temporary stop signs will exist on Haines Mill Road at the intersection with Mertz Lane and Dorney Park Road during the detours of Broadway and Parkway Boulevard.

One lane will remain open in each direction on Cedar Crest Boulevard during peak travel times. There may be off-peak times (8:30 AM – 3:30 PM or 6 PM to 6 AM) when lanes will be restricted on Cedar Crest Boulevard between Hamilton Boulevard and Chew Street. Motorists should also expect reduced speed limits in the work zone.

Motorists are advised to expect delays and use caution traveling through the work zone.

Work on the project includes replacement of the bridge, new roadway approaches, new signs and guiderail, traffic signal upgrades, and other miscellaneous construction.

The Cedar Crest Boulevard Bridge is a single span concrete box beam bridge originally constructed in 1957. It is currently posted with a weight restriction of 16 tons with 30 tons for combinations. It is 100 feet long and 168 feet wide. The new bridge will be a 187 feet long, 77 feet wide, triple cell concrete box culvert and will be unrestricted. This section of Cedar Crest Boulevard has an average daily traffic volume of 20,519 vehicles.

Kinsley Construction, Inc. of York, Pa., is the general contractor on the $4,921,444 project that is expected to be complete in November.

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