At last, Chesco's Route 202 is bona fide 6-lane expressway
East Whiteland Township Supervisor Sue Drummond remembers when Route 202 in Chester County barely merited the designation highway, though it certainly was a magnet for traffic.
East Whiteland Township Supervisor Sue Drummond remembers when Route 202 in Chester County barely merited the designation highway, though it certainly was a magnet for traffic.
But after two decades of planning, construction, lane movement, and often-maddening commutes for motorists in one of the region's fastest growing population and development corridors, what was once a two-lane road on Friday officially became a six-lane highway from the Schuylkill Expressway to the Route 30 interchange.
"It was a long time coming," Drummond said over the traffic noise at a ribbon-cutting event marking the completion of the final phase of the construction project.
Drummond joined Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Leslie S. Richards and other local leaders at the ceremony at the junction of Routes 202 and 30.
The almost $300 million project began in the late 1990s, with Chester County officials calling for expansion of what was then a four-lane route. From her own driving experiences, Drummond said, she had long seen the necessity for the expansion.
"For 19 years I made that trek, and each year it became a little more congested," she said.
The final 2.5 miles of the project, between Routes 401 and 30, opened Aug. 3; the 4 miles from Swedesford Road to Route 401 was completed in 2014. Together, the project cost $173 million.
"Now we can enjoy a smooth and rapid ride," said Drummond, who said she tested the new lanes last week.
Final touches on the corridor will continue into September, PennDot officials said, with any roadwork happening at night or otherwise taking place on the shoulders.
State Sen. Andrew Dinniman (D., Chester) hopes the project's momentum will fuel more work in the area, including 202 and then focusing on 30.
"Transportation infrastructure is absolutely key to our economic success," Dinniman said. "As we celebrate, there's still more work to be done."
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