US 15/PA 581 Improvement Project

Improvements to the US 15/PA 581 interchange and surrounding roads are being completed under two separate, but concurrently running projects. The limits of work for each project can be seen by clicking on the thumbnail image of the project map located at the bottom of the Special Features page. The following paragraphs summarize the major work items associated with each contract.

Contract 1
Contract 1 includes the reconstruction of portions of US 15 and PA 581 in Cumberland County and began in March 2008. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation contracted with Walsh Construction of Chicago, Illinois to build the $57.7 million project, which is scheduled for completion in late 2010.

Project work consists of relocating the existing US 15 interchange at Gettysburg Road to a new urban diamond interchange at Lower Allen Drive (previously Zimmerman Drive); constructing a third lane on US 15 Northbound between Slate Hill Road and Lower Allen Drive; widening PA 581 Eastbound between approximately 21st Street and the Interstate 83 Interchange; reconfiguration of lane assignments at the existing US 15 / PA 581 Interchange; reconstructing various side roads including Simpson Ferry Road, Gettysburg Road, Hartzdale Drive, Lower Allen Drive, Capital City Mall Drive, Spangler Road, and Glenwood Avenue; as well as new storm water drainage facilities, guiderail, signing, traffic signals, and pavement markings throughout the project.

Contract 2
Contract 2 includes the reconstruction of portions of US 15 and PA 581 in Cumberland County and began in January 2009. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has contracted with J.D. Eckman, Inc. of Atglen, PA to build the $50.8 million project, which is scheduled for completion in late 2011.

This project will run concurrently with the project being performed by Walsh Construction (Contract 1), and consists of widening and reconstructing US 15 between the Gettysburg Road interchange and Harvard Avenue in the area of the Camp Hill Mall, replacing and widening the bridges that carry US 15 over SR 2014 (Gettysburg Road), the Norfolk Southern Rail Road, and PA 581, as well as building temporary ramps during the reconstruction of the permanent ramp configuration at the US 15/PA 581 interchange. Furthermore, the existing ramps that connect US 15 and Gettysburg Road (SR 2014) will be permanently removed as part of this contract. Additional work includes the construction of acceleration/deceleration lanes along portions of PA 581 from the 18th Street Viaduct through the US 15/PA 581 interchange, highway drainage improvements, sound barrier and retaining wall construction, new traffic signals, highway lighting, signing, pavement markings, curb and sidewalk, and box culvert extensions.

Maintenance and Protection of Traffic During Construction (Contracts 1 & 2)
Throughout the life of the project, all lanes of normal unrestricted traffic will be maintained on US 15 and PA 581 from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM. During the nighttime hours, lanes may be restricted for construction activities. Traffic stoppages on US 15 and PA 581 will also be required for public safety when working over the travel lanes (for example, erecting bridge beams and overhead sign structures). These stoppages will be limited to 15 minutes during the nighttime

Click the thumbnail for more information
on the US 15 Southbound Ramp
Closures and Openings

In addition to this website -- which will include more detailed information as construction progresses -- PennDOT will be issuing news announcements and project updates as well as conducting public meetings throughout the course of the project as part of its outreach efforts to inform residents, businesses and the traveling public about the progress of this project.