Portions of I-81 and 22/322 interchange in Harrisburg, PA closed, tanker fire.

http://www.abc27.com/story/22203235/i-81-closed-at-22322-for-massive-tanker-fire

This is gonna cause HUGE headaches for alot of folks, especially since the construction that was either ongoing or planned on the Front St. exits. 22/322 was part of the alternate route for the ramp closures. From what I've just heard they will be re-opening those ramps, but that doesn't help big trucks out much. ATM, it sounds like the only way to get to 22/322 west to State College from I-81 north is to get off on I581, take that to I83N, then get on I81S and exit to 22/322W from there. Or continue on I81N if you were headed that way. What they really should do is simply remove the truck restriction on US15 and you could shoot right up to 11/15 or 22/322, but I guess that makes too much sense.

The driver made it out ok, btw. Just had minor burns. But this is gonna be a HUGE cleanup, and has the potential to get even worse since there's a protected wildlife reserve, park and waterway RIGHT by this interchange (Wildwood is just to the NW of it.)

 

News said a bit earlier that the turnpike is free from I81 (Carlisle) over to I283, might be a bit easier going that way and hopping up to I83 instead of taking I581 to I83 since at least going the turnpike you can avoid the bridge and I581/I83 interchange, and the bottleneck just after the bridge. But ya, they are talking $10+ million in repairs and at least a couple weeks to fix it.

BTW, as an alternate route to get around this, if I83 is backed up bad you COULD try taking I283 (if coming off the turnpike) or I581/I83 (if coming off I81) to US322 east towards Hershey, then following SR39, or Hersheypark Dr. off of US322. Just at the park, SR39 will make a left at a light so stay in the left lane. After that, SR39 will run up to I81 right where the truck stops are at exit 77. I used to do alot of pickups at the railyard in Rutherford and at the Reeses plant on US322 and that was a pretty decent shortcut to get to the truckstops to avoid rush hour traffic on I83/I81. And if THAT looks ugly just keep heading east on Hersheypark Dr. and look for SR743. Turn left onto that and it'll come out at exit 80 just past the rest areas (this is the same exit the casino is on.) Both RTs are fine for trucks and don't get TOO bad with traffic, though with this situation just about anything can happen.

As for trying to get to US22/322 west from I-81 north, US11/15 through Duncannon is about your only bet for saving time, though you could just do I83 to I81 south I guess. Not sure how that will be for traffic though. But at least they lifted the truck restrictions on 11/15. And I don't know what turns Infosaur is talking about. 11/15 doesn't even go into Duncannon itself and is mostly 4 lane divided with limited access. Should have no problems that I can remember getting a 53' trailer through there. One turn right when you come up to where the Juniata and Susquehanna meet (I think that's the turn, kind of on a point at the end of the mountain there) is a little sharp, but nothing anyone who has driven in a city couldn't handle. Oh, and 11/15 is on the west side.