Residents of Erie County will see a significant improvement in traffic flow on Interstate 79 when PennDOT removes the long‑term lane restrictions on Thursday, Nov. 12. The closures, which have affected both southbound and northbound lanes in Washington, Franklin, McKean and Summit townships, have been in place for nearly two years as part of a multi‑year reconstruction project.
According to Erie News Now, the removal of the major lane restrictions comes after more than 50 percent of the contracted work has been completed. Crews have milled, repaired, and paved roughly 36 miles of roadway, installed new directional signs, and built foundations for permanent camera poles. In addition, bridges over Crane Road, Stancliff Road, Route 6N and Interstate 90 have been repaired.
While the long‑term closures end on Nov. 12, drivers should still expect short‑term lane closures between mile marker 165 near the Crawford County line in Washington Township and mile marker 178 in Summit Township. PennDOT warned that daily lane restrictions will continue as crews finish guide rail, pavement markings, rumble strips and joint sealing, weather permitting.
Motorists are also advised to watch for lane shifts and restrictions on the Interstate 90 bridges that cross I‑79, and to use caution at the I‑90/I‑79 interchange, which remains an active work zone. The agency emphasized that the interchange will stay under construction through the remainder of the project.
The next phase of the project will focus on the stretch from mile marker 172 in Franklin Township to mile marker 176.5 in McKean Township. Major work is slated to resume in April 2027, when traffic will be reduced to a single lane in each direction around active zones and the speed limit will be lowered to 60 mph. The overall project, which began in April 2025, is scheduled for completion in fall 2027.
What’s next: After the Nov. 12 removal, drivers should continue to monitor PennDOT updates for short‑term closures and lane shifts. The agency will provide further notices as work progresses toward the April 2027 phase, and Erie residents can expect the final stretch of improvements to be finished by fall 2027.
Sources: erienewsnow.com
