Motorists may have a longer commute time this week when traveling on Route 61 between Route 895 East and West.
The delays are due to a state Department of Transportation contractor fixing potholes and resurfacing the road, Ron Young, press officer for PennDOT District 5, said Wednesday.
Work started Monday and should last until Friday, weather permitting.
"We know it is inconvenient but it's very temporary. It will be all done by the end of this week. ... We appreciate people's patience as we get the road back to warm weather shape," he said.
Young said the weather is still not conducive to doing the roadwork at night.
On Tuesday, contractors worked in the southbound side of the cattle chutes.
Potholes on the southbound side of Route 61 needed attention before the ones on the northbound side, Young said.
Lane restrictions are listed between 9 a.m. to about 3 or 3:30 p.m., but they went longer Tuesday because workers wanted to get as much done as possible, he said.
The work is part of the Deer Lake project expected to be completed in September 2015.
Construction on the project will convert four miles of the existing highway into northbound lanes and build two miles of new lanes for southbound traffic. Jug handles, traffic lights, three bridges and other work is also planned. The work started in September 2012.
"The project is about 51 percent complete" and is on schedule, Young said.
Young said drivers will see "full depth construction of (the) new roadway on the western side of (Route) 61 with the traffic remaining in the eastern side of 61."
Some bridge work also must be completed.
Traffic patterns will switch once that section of the road is complete.
Orwigsburg borough Manager Mike Lonergan said he was driving through the area Tuesday and was one of those stuck in traffic.
He said he was delayed about 10 minutes traveling southbound going up the hill in Deer Lake by The Pines housing development.
Flaggers were in the area directing traffic, Lonergan said.
"They were taking it down to a single lane through the cattle chutes," he said.
He knew about the work so was not surprised about the delay.
"I expected they were just filling potholes, but they were actually resurfacing the whole road," he said.
Lonergan said as he drove south toward Interstate 78, he noticed northbound traffic backed up from Route 895 East to Cabela's.
Young confirmed traffic was backed up to Cabela's.
Lonergan said motorists probably were not happy with the long wait.
"I'm sure they were less than happy. They got to do the work," Lonergan said.