Route 309 improvements to be displayed in South Whitehall meeting

SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — A plan for major renovations to Route 309 in North Whitehall and South Whitehall townships will take two years and detour traffic off the heavily traveled roadway.

Residents can give feedback on the plan Tuesday when the state Transportation Department holds a public plans display for the State Route 309 Roadway Betterment Project at South Whitehall Township Municipal Building.

The project will include improvements at six intersections from Walbert Avenue to Shankweiler Road.

It will take at least two years to complete, with three planned detours during that time. Construction is slated to begin toward the end of 2024.

South Whitehall Township Manager Tom Petrucci announced the public plans display at a township Board of Commissioners meeting Wednesday.

He said residents who will be most affected by the construction have received letters from the township about the meeting, but all residents are welcome.

“I would encourage anyone that may have already received letters or is going to be impacted in some way by the project to attend the meeting,” Petrucci said.

PennDOT also has a comment form about the project for residents who cannot attend the event.

The project will include new traffic signals at six intersections along Route 309: Walbert Avenue, Chapman’s/Pope Road, Huckleberry Road, Lime Kiln Road, Orefield/Kernsville Road and Shankweiler Road.

The roadways will be widened to create 12-foot travel lanes, eight-foot shoulders and new turning lanes at the intersections.

Other work includes sidewalks, ADA ramps, bus loading pads, drainage improvements and signing upgrades.

The roadway will be under construction for about two years, but at least one lane of traffic will be maintained on Route 309 throughout this time.

The project will require three detours. A detour for Church Road will be 0.7 miles long using Ridgeview Drive and Walbert Avenue. It will last for four to six weeks.

Another detour will be at Orefield Road. It will be 2.7 miles long using Coffeetown Road, Shankweiler Road and Route 309. It will last six to eight weeks.

The third detour will be for work on the bridge over the Jordan Creek. It will be 6.4 miles long using Walbert Avenue, Cedar Crest Boulevard and Orefield Road. It will last one weekend.

According to the township website, people still will be able to access driveways and businesses within the project limits throughout construction.

PennDOT’s website states construction is expected to begin in late 2024 and finish in 2026.

Commissioner Monica Hodges spoke about the need for configuration improvements at the intersection of Ridgeview Drive and Walbert Avenue, which is near one of the intersections in the plan.

Township Engineer Anthony Tallarida said it was identified on a regional transportation plan as an “intersection to be studied,” but there are no set plans for any improvements.

Commissioners also discussed a potential new funding source for Kohler Ridge Park.

As part of the 250th anniversary celebration of the United States, the state is giving grants for certain projects. Commissioners voted to allow Petrucci to submit a proposal for the park.

The board tabled plans for Broadway Sidewalk Grading Plan For Tilghman Square Shopping Center Requesting until the applicant can address comments.

This week was the one-year anniversary of Petrucci’s hiring. Commissioners congratulated Petrucci and thanked him for his work.

“Down the road, this township will realize the impact you have had,” Commissioner David Kennedy said. “It may not be today, although we see it up here, and the residents who come to our meeting see it.

"But I can tell you, the residents of this township will definitely realize the impact you've made. It's very well appreciated.”