The newly designed ramp taking traffic to and from the North Shore of Moraine State park off of Route 422 in Muddycreek Twp on Monday July 30, 2018.

The work on the Route 422 ramp for the Moraine State Park Access Project should not affect traffic heading into this weekend’s Regatta at Lake Arthur, according to park officials.

Brian Flores, assistant park manager, said the work being done at the interchange does not block people from accessing the park, even those coming from Interstate 79.

“It really is not affecting the same pattern of traffic flow as we had previously,” Flores said. “A lot of people coming up from (Interstate) 79 get off at the Portersville exit there.”

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced in early July that a crew would be working to improve the Route 422 and West Park Road Interchange, including a new loop ramp from Route 422 Eastbound to West Park Road. The release said the ramp could be available by Aug. 2.

The recent work is only a part of the larger project focused on the access to the park.

Joe Painter, PennDOT project manager, said the overall project started in July of 2017 with an about $4.5 million price tag. He said work has progressed as expected.

“The work is about 80 percent to 85 percent complete,” Painter said. “Tentative completion is by the end of September.”

In addition to the Route 422 and West Park Road interchange, Painter said the project also involves replacing the existing SR 8002 Ramp J with a new two-way road (SR 4017), improvements to the Interstate 79 and Route 422 interchange and the installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of US 422 and the I-79 southbound ramps.

Painter said the improved ramps will make the park easier to access.

Read more about the project in the Butler Eagle.