Overnight Route 72, Route 322 detours to continue next week in Cornwall area

Overnight detours on southbound State Route 72 will continue next week, and closures of the U.S. Route 322 ramps will begin midweek, as crews press ahead with the Route 72 (Quentin Road) and Route 322 resurfacing project, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said Friday.

The work affects North Cornwall and West Cornwall townships and Cornwall Borough.

Weather permitting, southbound Route 72 will be closed from the night of Sunday, Aug. 23, through Tuesday night, Aug. 25, between the Route 322 East split and Spring Hill Lane, the entrance to the Spring Hill Acres development. The closures will be in place nightly from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. for drainage work, PennDOT said.

Southbound Route 72 traffic will be detoured onto State Route 117, Pinch Road and Cider Press Road. Westbound Route 322 traffic bound for southbound Route 72 should continue west to Route 117 and then follow the southbound Route 72 detour.

Beginning Wednesday night, Aug. 26, the contractor will close the westbound Route 322 ramp for milling and paving, with a detour using State Route 501 and State Route 419.

On Thursday night, Aug. 27, the eastbound Route 322 ramp will close from the Route 72 split to the ramp from northbound Route 72 to eastbound Route 322. That detour will use Route 419 and Route 501.

Alternating closures of westbound and eastbound Route 322 will continue Sunday and Monday nights, Aug. 30 and 31. All closures will be in place between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., and no detours will be in place Friday and Saturday nights, according to the department.

The schedule is weather dependent and may be rescheduled, PennDOT said.

The project includes base replacement, milling, guiderail updates, drainage replacements, sign and overhead signing replacement, pavement marking updates and other construction on Route 72 from the Lancaster County line to Rocherty Road in North Cornwall Township, along with work on Route 322 just north and south of the stretch where Route 322 runs concurrently with Route 72 as a four-lane divided highway.

Most of the work is being done overnight, though some daytime work is possible. Drivers should also expect single-lane restrictions and additional overnight detours of ramps and roadway sections within the project limits. PennDOT said it will issue updates before any new detours take effect.

Pennsy Supply Company Inc. of Harrisburg is the contractor on the $7,009,000 project, which is expected to be finished by Dec. 3.

Motorists can check road conditions at 511PA.com, by calling 511 or through the 511PA smartphone app.