Clearfield, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced that the contractor on its Route 26 betterment project to reconstruct and widen the roadway between the 161/Bellefonte and 163/Jacksonville interchanges of Interstate 80 will start drainage improvements on Tuesday, April 1. This companion project to the high-speed connector between I-80 and I-99 will support the regional freight economy and improve the reliability of roadway travel through the region.
While the contractor completes the drainage improvements, Route 26 will only be open to northbound traffic heading toward Howard/Jacksonville. Southbound traffic heading toward Bellefonte/State College will merge onto I-80 westbound using Walt Road at the 163/Jacksonville interchange and follow it to the 161/Bellefonte interchange to reconnect with Route 26. PennDOT expects the drainage improvements to continue until late June.
Once drainage improvements are complete, the contractor will place concrete barriers and begin work on roadway reconstruction. The contractor will start with the northbound lane and switch to the southbound when finished. PennDOT will issue updated information on traffic impacts as work progresses.
Overall work on this project includes increasing the lane and shoulder width of Route 26, reconstruction of the existing roadway, drainage improvements, guide rail installation, and miscellaneous construction. Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc. of State College, PA, is the contractor on this $8.6 million project. PennDOT anticipates project completion in the fall of 2026. All work is weather-dependent.
Motorists can check conditions on major roadways 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 1,000 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.
Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Juniata, McKean, Mifflin, and Potter counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District2.
