The Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike reopened ahead of schedule to traffic between the Lehigh Valley Exit (No. 56) and the Mahoning Valley Exit (No. 74) after a bridge replacement.

Crews worked very diligently between Oct. 13 and 16 to reopen the roadway ahead of schedule, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission announced Oct. 16.

The southbound lanes opened at 1 a.m. The northbound lanes opened at 2 a.m. Oct. 16.

Every construction task involved in the process was accomplished smoothly and ahead of time.

The Turnpike was closed for workers to replace the bridge at milepost 57.66 over Crackersport Road, South Whitehall Township, starting at 9 p.m. Oct. 13.

The Turnpike used a proven engineering technique called accelerated bridge construction that allows workers to replace a bridge in one weekend rather than a year or more of construction.

This successful bridge replacement is the second ABC project for the Turnpike, following a September project in Beaver County.