District 6 Accomplishments

I-95 CAP Project

Construction this spring will focus on building supports for the new covering over Interstate 95 and Columbus Boulevard at Penn's Landing in Center City Philadelphia.

With the Front Street (western) abutment and center pier substantially completed, work shifts to the east side of I-95, where a second support pier is being built that will bridge the interstate. Initial work on that structure includes demolition of the remainder of the original covered area's eastern abutment and drilling caissons that will support the foundation of the pier’s support columns.

Work also continues on the foundation for the new cover's eastern abutment and retaining walls on the east side of Columbus Boulevard. Some of the piles – steel I-Beams driven into the ground to support the abutment's foundation – are already partially in place. Additional pile driving will continue this spring.

The abutments and piers will support the deck beams for the new concrete cover. Beam placement for the Cap could begin later in 2025.

The on-ramp from Columbus Boulevard to northbound I-95 at Lombard Circle closes in early April for approximately two years for this construction. Motorists will be detoured to the northbound on-ramp at Summer Street, located just north of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.

Construction will also close the Market Street on-ramp to I-95 south until November to complete work on improvements to that ramp.

Crews this spring will also begin assembling the new South Street Pedestrian Bridge extension in a lot on the east side of I-95. The steel structure – a signature, tied-arch extension of the existing pedestrian bridge over I-95 – will allow pedestrians to access Penn’s Landing from Center City by crossing over Columbus Boulevard.

When finished, the extension will be lifted into place over Columbus Boulevard and anchored to piers on both sides of the riverfront arterial. The existing pedestrian bridge remains open during this work with only minor interruptions. Pedestrians and cyclists will also be able to travel between Penn’s Landing and Front Street using Dock and Market streets during construction.

Foundation construction on both sides of Columbus Boulevard for the new extension of South Street Pedestrian Bridge has been substantially completed. Surface-level utility work by PECO and Comcast is expected to finish this spring. Installation of sewer facilities is also underway at Penn’s Landing and Columbus Boulevard locations.

Looking ahead, PennDOT's contractor is expected to begin setting 80 steel girders over the southbound lanes of I-95 and the southbound on-ramp from Market Street in mid-to-late 2025. Girder placement will mark the start of the next major stage of construction on PennDOT’s $328.9 million covering between Chestnut and Walnut streets.

During construction, motorists will experience minor lane shifts on I-95 and its adjacent ramps, while lane restrictions will take place on Columbus Boulevard and Front Street during cap construction.

In addition to replacing the cap over I-95 between Chestnut and Walnut streets, the I-95 Central Access Philadelphia (CAP) Project will improve pedestrian, bicycle, and multi-modal connections between Center City and the waterfront.

The project, which is being financed with federal, local, and private funds, will add a new Park at Penn's Landing and a new signature pedestrian bridge at South Street.

The new park will be an 11.5-acre civic space spanning I-95 and Columbus Boulevard between Chestnut and Walnut streets, extending from Front Street to the Delaware River. It will include gardens, play areas, flexible open space, and a mass-timber pavilion.

Additional project details, construction updates, and other information will be available on 95revive.com and ParkatPennsLanding.com.

Cost: $328.9 million

County: Philadelphia

Completion date: 2029

Wismer Road Bridge Replacement

PennDOT reopened the Wismer Road bridge over Hickory Creek on Wednesday, April 2, following a seven-month long project to replace the 88-year-old structure in Plumstead Township, Bucks County.

The Wismer Road bridge, located between Ferry Road and Carversville Road, had been closed since work began on the project in late September 2024.

PennDOT's contractor replaced the single-span, steel I-beam bridge, with a single-span, concrete box culvert.

This bridge is one of several structures in Bucks and Montgomery counties that PennDOT is rehabilitating or replacing under a $9.5 million project.

Loftus Construction, Inc. of King of Prussia is the general contractor on the project, which is financed with 100 percent state funds.

Cost: Part of a larger $9.5 million contract

County: Bucks

Completion date: April 2025

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U.S. 322 Reconstruction Project

Work continues to progress this spring on PennDOT's Section 103 project to reconstruct and improve 1.4 miles of U.S. 322 (Conchester Highway) from Chelsea Parkway/Bethel Avenue to just east of Route 452 (Market Street) in Upper Chichester, Delaware County.

Clearing operations have been substantially completed, and utility relocations are ongoing in the two-lane section of the work zone east of Chelsea Parkway. Culvert construction is underway on Bethel Avenue at Bezors Run. This work is being done in preparation for widening the roadway and improving the intersection with Cherry Tree Road/Bethel Avenue.

Work is underway in the two-lane stretch east of Chelsea Parkway/Bethel Avenue to widen the roadway and improve the intersection with Cherry Tree Road/Bethel Avenue. Bethel Avenue is expected to be closed and detoured at U.S. 322 (Conchester Highway) and Cherry Tree Road for improvements in May.

Excavation, utility relocations, and drainage work continue at the Route 452 Interchange along Market Street and Bethel Avenue. Work at the interchange includes construction of turn lanes on Market Street and widening Bethel Avenue to allow for the construction of new ramps.

A section of the two-lane stretch of westbound U.S. 322 (Conchester Highway) remains reduced to one lane approaching Route 452 (Market Street).

Section 103 will reconstruct and widen the two-lane section of U.S. 322 (Conchester Highway) to four travel lanes, add turn lanes, realign the on and off-ramps, realign the Cherry Tree/Bethel Avenue intersection, and upgrade traffic signals along the project corridor.

There will be periodic lane closures for the duration of the project for construction activities. PennDOT will continue to maintain at least one lane of traffic in each direction except during occasional, flagger-controlled restrictions at various times and locations. Access will be maintained as well to all residences and businesses within the work area during construction.

The $99.4 million Section 103 project is the second of four construction contracts under PennDOT's U.S. 322 (Conchester Highway) Improvement Program to improve travel and safety on a 6.7-mile section of U.S. 322 (Conchester Highway) in Concord, Bethel, and Upper Chichester townships.

R.E. Pierson Construction Co. Inc., of Pilesgrove, N.J., is the general contractor on this project, which is financed with 80 percent federal funds and 20 percent state funds.

Section 101 widening and intersection improvements were completed in 2020 between U.S. 1 (Baltimore Pike) and Clayton Park Drive.

Section CSX, which will replace the U.S. 322 (Conchester Highway) bridge over the CSX Railroad and improve the adjacent Bethel Road Interchange, is scheduled to be advertised for construction later this year.

Final engineering design is advancing for Section 102, the widening and reconstruction from Clayton Park Drive to Chelsea Parkway/Bethel Avenue. Section 102 construction will wrap up PennDOT's improvements to U.S. 322 (Conchester Highway) between U.S. 1 (Baltimore Pike) and the CSX bridge and Bethel Road.

Cost: $99.4 million

County: Delaware

Completion date: Late 2030

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