Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Mike Carroll joined industry and local officials for a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction on a $35.8 million project to replace the bridges that carry Route 420 (Wanamaker Avenue) over Darby Creek in Prospect Park Borough and Tinicum Township, Delaware County.
Carroll highlighted how the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) is bringing over $4 billion in additional road and bridge improvements to Pennsylvania.
“Transportation provides jobs, connects our communities, and is vital to Pennsylvania’s economic growth,” Carroll said. “Our governor and our federal partners are working to give us more resources to make travel easier and safer in every corner of the commonwealth.”
The BIL is accelerating and supporting projects across Pennsylvania. The BIL also provides approximately $550 billion in new federal infrastructure investment, including many new discretionary grant programs. PennDOT shares information on transportation opportunities and resources for interested applicants on its Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act web page.
“This critical project has been a decade in the making and could not have come to fruition without the hard work and support of many elected officials, as well as our transportation partners and stakeholders,” said PennDOT District 6 Executive Lou Belmonte.
Under this project, PennDOT’s contractor will replace the superstructure and substructure of the northbound and southbound bridges over Darby Creek. The new crossing will be built as one bridge instead of the two that currently carry traffic over Darby Creek. In-stream work including causeways and cofferdams will be utilized for construction of the replacement structures. Rock protection will also be used for both structures, and streambed stabilization and replacement of the fender system will be included as part of the site improvements.
In addition, existing lighting on the bridges will be replaced or upgraded, and a pedestrian trail crossing will be constructed under the structures adjacent to the southern abutments. The trail will provide a connection to the adjacent John Heinz Wildlife Refuge. The 8-10 foot wide shared-use path will be built on the western side of Route 420 (Wanamaker Avenue) to the north of Darby Creek. A shared-use path will also be constructed on both sides of Route 420 (Wanamaker Avenue) south of Darby Creek and connect to the existing parking lots at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge.
“Investing in our roads and bridges means improving quality of life for Pennsylvanians,” said Associated Pennsylvania Constructors Executive Vice President Robert Latham. “Infrastructure projects like the Route 420 bridge replacement allow our residents to travel safer, spend less time in traffic, and spend more time doing the things that are important to them.”
During construction on this bridge replacement project, two lanes of traffic will be maintained at all times for northbound Route 420 (Wanamaker Avenue) motorists, and one lane of traffic will be maintained at all times for southbound Route 420 (Wanamaker Avenue) motorists through the work area.
