The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Engineering District 5 completed 39 road and bridge projects this year as part of a construction season that saw 87 active projects valued at more than $840 million across six counties in east central Pennsylvania.
District 5, which covers Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties, replaced or repaired 133 bridges and paved over 100 roadway miles during 2025, according to PennDOT. The department also put 54 projects out to bid with an estimated value exceeding $135 million.
“It was a great year for road and bridge projects, including a major I-78 project in Berks County,” District Executive Chris Kufro said. “PennDOT will continue to work with regional planning partners to prioritize projects to improve safety and mobility in east central Pennsylvania.”
The largest completed project was a $134.6 million Interstate 78/Route 61 interchange reconstruction in Berks County. The work included reconfiguring interchange ramps, widening and rehabilitating the I-78 mainline arch bridge over the Schuylkill River, widening the I-78 bridge over Port Clinton Avenue, and replacing the Route 61 bridge over I-78. Crews also built retaining walls, sound barriers, sign structures, highway lighting, and intelligent transportation system devices while upgrading drainage systems, guide rails, and safety barriers.
Several major projects remain underway in the region. In Berks County, a $120 million project is replacing the I-78 bridge over Maiden Creek and Route 143 in Greenwich Township.
Carbon County’s largest active project is a $120 million replacement of the I-80 bridge over the Lehigh River, Lehigh Gorge State Park, Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad, and River Road.
In Lehigh County, crews are reconstructing the Route 309 interchange at Tilghman Street in South Whitehall Township for $86.47 million. Monroe County is seeing work on a $93.8 million realignment and reconstruction of the Exit 308/Prospect Street interchange on I-80 in East Stroudsburg Borough.
Schuylkill County has a $115 million reconstruction and safety improvement project on Route 61 spanning multiple municipalities.
Among completed projects, Berks County saw $17.7 million in improvements to I-78 including patching, milling, and paving across three townships. Monroe County finished $11 million in milling, paving, and bridge repairs on Route 209/Hamilton West in Hamilton Township. Schuylkill County completed $14.47 million in milling, patching, and paving on I-81 across four townships.
The budget recently signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro continues investments in repairing Pennsylvania’s road and bridge network.
Motorists can check road conditions at www.511PA.com, which provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,200 traffic cameras 24 hours a day. The service is also available through smartphone applications for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts.
PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects are available at www.pa.gov/DOTprojects.