Motorists using Route 61 north of Saint Clair can expect some pretty significant delays starting Friday and continuing into early next week.
A project to remove a large outcropping of rock along the highway just north of Darkwater Rd. will bring traffic to a standstill starting Sept. 20. Work is expected to continue on this portion of the massive Route 61 reconstruction through Tuesday, Sept. 24, according to a PennDOT spokesperson.
Sean Brown, a spokesperson for PennDOT, tells The Canary that at 7 a.m. Friday, traffic will shift to the northbound side of the highway as work begins to remove the rock.
Starting at about noon, Brown says, motorists can expect to be in standstill mode for 15-minute intervals while the rock is removed. Traffic will be allowed to clear but then come to a complete stop while the project continues.
This is expected to happen around the clock through the weekend and into early next week, Brown said. Signs alerting motorists of the work indicate it’ll happen between Sept. 20-23 but Brown said he believes it could still be ongoing into Tuesday, Sept. 24.
Motorists who must use Route 61 during this time should expect lengthy delays. Others should find an alternate route.