08/13/2026
The following notice from PennDot will impact travelers to Franklin. Please take note.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – TRAVEL ADVISORY
August 12, 2026
MEDIA CONTACT: Jill Harry, [email protected] or 814-678-5035
Reconstruction Work on the 15th Street Intersection in Franklin Expected to Start on Friday Evening
Separate Detours to be in Place for Passenger and Commercial Vehicles
Oil City, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is reminding drivers that a portion of Route 62/Route 8 will be closed in the City of Franklin, Venango County starting Friday night.
The closure is expected to be in place for five days from the start of work at 8:00PM on August 14 until 6:00 AM on August 20, 2026. Nighttime work is anticipated in connection with this phase of the construction, which will happen around the clock, weather permitting, until the road is reopened.
The road will be closed from the intersection of Liberty Street (Route 62/Route 8) and 14th Street to the split between Route 62 and Route 8 near the top of the 15th Street hill. Access to homes will be maintained.
Drivers should note the detour for passenger vehicles starts at Pone Lane (Route 3021). It will be posted using Route 8, Pone Lane, Congress Hill Road (Route 3021), and Bully Hill Road (Route 3021).
Travelers should note that commercial vehicles are not permitted to use the Bully Hill detour, and the 4.6-mile detour length is measured from one end of the closure to the other.
A separate detour will be posted for larger vehicles and will use Route 62, Route 173, and Route 322. The detour length from one point of the closure to the other is 42.9 miles.
The closure is needed to complete intensive reconstruction work at the intersection of Liberty Street and 15th Street as well as updates to the truck ramp on the 15th Street hill as part of the Route 62/Route 322 Improvement Project.
Information on the project is available online at www.pa.gov/DOTDistrict1 under the View District 1 Projects option at the top of the page.
PennDOT urges drivers to slow down when driving in work zones, and also to be alert to changing conditions, avoid distractions and to pay attention to signs and flaggers. Drive responsibly in work zones for your safety and the safety of the workers.
Travelers can check conditions on major roads by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,200 traffic cameras.
511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.
Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties at www.pa.gov/DOTDistrict1.
Find PennDOT news for the northwestern region on X or Facebook.
District 1
