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NANTICOKE — A major part of the South Valley Parkway project is progressing faster than expected, officials confirmed Friday.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) spokesman James May said it’s too soon for the parkway project to be called “early” but the bridge that will run over state Route 29, connecting Hanover Township and Nanticoke, is ahead of schedule.

The work is part of the new state Route 3046, which includes the bridge and the six roundabouts being built within Hanover Township and Nanticoke.

“State Route 29 will stay just as it is,” May said about the current road.

Beams for the new bridge were being set this week, including PennDOT stopping traffic intermittently Wednesday to conduct the construction. On Friday, May said, PennDOT was setting the beams in place but it was off Route 29 near Dundee Road, so no traffic was impacted.

The overall cost of the project is estimated to be $83 million. The final result will be the beltway connecting state Route 29 and Interstate 81 with Kosciuszko Street, thus alleviating Luzerne County Community College traffic on Middle Road.

First initiated in 2001 by PennDOT, the project is expected to reduce traffic and improve safety on a two-mile section of Middle Road. The completed project date isn’t scheduled until sometime in 2020.

Along with the traffic on state Route 29, motorists in Nanticoke are dealing with portions of Middle Road being closed for the construction of the roundabouts. The intersection of Middle Road and Espy Street is currently closed for the construction. The first roundabout is expected to open in October.

Other roundabout construction dates, according to Times Leader records:

• South Prospect Street at Middle Road will be closed closed from March 2017 to October 2017.

• Middle Road, west of Kosciuszko Street will be closed September 2017 to August 2019.

• Kosciuszko Street at Middle Road will be closed from March 2019 to June 2019.

• Middle Road, at exit 2 over state Route 29, will be closed closed August 2019 to October 2019.

Efforts to reach Paul Smith, the South Valley Parkway project manager, were unsuccessful Friday.

Two cranes lift a concrete beam into place for the new bypass over Dundee Road in Hanover Township.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_TTL071616Beams1.jpg.optimal.jpgTwo cranes lift a concrete beam into place for the new bypass over Dundee Road in Hanover Township. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

By Melanie Mizenko

[email protected]

Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko