The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is seeking bids for the first phase of the Interstate 83 widening project in the York area, with construction expected to begin in 2027.
PennDOT officials provided an update on the project during a York Area Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting on Thursday, Aug. 27. The department plans to widen the highway from four to six lanes between the North George Street (Exit 22) and Market Street (Exit 19) interchanges over several years.
PennDOT is seeking bids for the first section of the highway to receive a makeover. The project, known as the Codorus Creek bridge replacement, involves reconstructing the highway from south of the Route 30 interchange to south of the Eberts Lane bridge, spokesman Dave Thompson said.
It will include replacing three bridges in that section, and crews will build one wider bridge over the creek, railroad tracks, and Loucks Mill Road, said Chris Caba, chief of transportation planning for the York County Planning Commission.
PennDOT will host a mandatory meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 2 for any contractors interested in bidding on the project, said Rich Reisinger, assistant district executive for design with PennDOT District 8. The department plans to open the bids on Oct. 1.
“Road construction activity should start beginning of 2027,” he said.
Why the project has been delayed
The I-83 widening project has been in the works for a decade, and PennDOT said at the end of 2025 that it expected construction to start on the first section of the highway this year.
However, the Codorus Creek bridge replacement project was delayed as PennDOT worked through utility relocation issues, including securing legal agreements with the entities that are impacted by the project, Thompson said.
The Codorus Creek bridge replacement section, which is now scheduled to start in 2027, is expected to be finished in the spring of 2031, he said.
Some improvements were made in advance of the highway reconstruction, such as constructing a new I-83 North on-ramp from North George Street, replacing an outdated bridge on East Market Street near the highway, and upgrading the Eberts Lane and Sherman Street bridges.
Two other sections of the highway will be worked on in the future, according to PennDOT’s website.
The reconstruction of the Route 30 (exit 21) and North George Street (exit 22) interchanges is set for 2029 through 2033. The makeover of the Market Street interchange (exit 19) is planned for 2030 through 2034.
The I-83 widening project is expected to cost between $200 million and $225 million, Thompson said.
What the first section of the highway widening project will entail
The Codorus Creek bridge replacement project will involve widening, realigning and reconstructing the highway. It will also include the relocation of Mill Creek, which runs parallel to the interstate, Thompson said.
Here are the improvements included in this section:
- A new ramp will be built for I-83 North traffic to exit onto Toronita Street to reach Route 30 East.
- The I-83 South on-ramp from Route 30 East will be lengthened for merging onto the highway.
- The bridges on I-83 over the Codorus Creek, Mill Creek and Loucks Mill Road will be replaced. A new combined wider bridge will be built.
- Queen Street and Columbia Avenue near the former Central York High School will be realigned to improve the Exit 21 ramp.
