Multi-year project aims to ease congestion on the Blue Route in Delaware County

VILLANOVA, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- The Blue Route (I-476) is undergoing big changes in Delaware County that, PennDOT says, will help ease congestion and make the highway safer.

The multi-year plan could have a major impact on the commute but, fortunately, drivers have time to prepare.

The focus is on easing traffic along the Blue Route and making the artery through Delaware County safer and easier to navigate.

Some of the work is already underway along I-476 for the first phase of the project.

Phase one of this multi-year plan will be the installation of variable speed limit signs, changing as weather and congestion do.

New ramp meters and electronic signs will be controlled by PennDOT to allow for better traffic flow.

The biggest change will come in 2027 on 14 miles of I-476 from West Chester Pike to I-95.

This is when the inner shoulders of the highway will be expanded and used as flexible lanes during peak traffic.

PennDOT can control when the lane is in use, allowing for easier traffic flow with the use of overhead lane assignment lights.

To do all of this, infrastructure improvements are a must.

"We've kind of outgrown it. Two lanes in each direction, especially from West Chester Pike down to I-95, is just not meeting demand. So we're implementing some smart corridor initiatives," said PennDOT spokesperson Brad Rudolph.

"Right now we're out there doing a variable speed limit and queue detection addition to our network, which is essentially adding speed limit signs that can change," Rudolph continued.

This is a multi-pronged project that is expected to be completed in 2030.

For more information about the project, visit PennDOT.pa.gov.