Motorists who normally travel Pohopoco Drive will find a detour in effect today.

Mimi Doyle, public information manager of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, has reported that the turnpike underpass at Pohopoco Drive in Franklin Township will be closed and traffic detoured today until 5 p.m. and Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., but it will depend on the weather. There will also be nighttime traffic restrictions northbound on the turnpike from April 7-10.Doyle said that the contractor is planning to work on protective underdeck shielding and safety platforms this week in preparation for future demolition work on the turnpike mainline bridge where it crosses over State Route 209 in Franklin Township.This will require single-lane traffic restrictions and periodic stoppages on Route 209.Doyle said that the turnpike bridge traffic will remain open during the demolition as the work will be done in stages."They take sections down and shift traffic flows to the right or left," she said. "They will not be closing down the turnpike."She said that detours will continue until 2016 when the project will be completed.Message boards have been activated to alert motorists of the scheduled road closure. Traffic will be detoured between Harrity Road and Grange Road, with a posted detour route directing traffic west on Harrity Road, north on Fairyland Road, east on Grange Road to south on Pohopoco Drive.Local access on Pohopoco Drive in Franklin Township will be available from either direction to the bridge; however, there will not be any vehicle or pedestrian traffic allowed through the underpass once the detour is implemented. The date is subject to change due to weather conditions.In October 2013, New Enterprise Stone & Lime Co. started construction on the $22.1 million project to replace two turnpike mainline bridges that cross Route 209 and the Pohopoco Creek, and Pohopoco Drive in Carbon County. The bridges are located approximately a quarter mile north of the Mahoning Valley interchange on the northeast extension.Visit the Turnpike website at

www.paturnpike.com for all Turnpike project updates.