PA Turnpike Bridge replacement gets $600M from feds. But what’s the plan

The federal government has promised $600 million toward replacing the old, cracked and worn Pennsylvania Turnpike Bridge that links Pennsylvania to New Jersey.

“The funding will advance … replacing the existing 1956 Delaware River Bridge, a critical crossing connecting Bucks County, Pennsylvania to Burlington County, New Jersey,” said U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa.

McCormick and U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., delivered a joint announcement on March 28.

“This $600 million investment is one of the most consequential infrastructure commitments in Pennsylvania’s history, and we are proud to have fought to secure this funding by writing directly to Transportation Secretary Duffy to make the case for why the Delaware River Bridge deserves federal investment,” the senators wrote.

“The Delaware River Bridge is not just a Pennsylvania asset; it is a backbone of our national freight and passenger transportation network. This funding will make it safer and more resilient for the commuters, families, and businesses that depend on it every single day.”

What’s next for the Pa. Turnpike bridge replacement?

The state Turnpike Commission has narrowed its focus to remove and replace its bridge linking Pennsylvania and New Jersey to two plans which could impact the Fleetwing Estates neighborhood in Bristol Township.

It will also impact the historic Delaware Canal, but by how much and where wasn’t made clear in recent public meetings.

In an online, jargon-laden meeting on Oct. 14, turnpike officials on both sides of the river said they produced nine alternatives, which includes leaving the current 70-year-old turnpike bridge in place.

It will be years, perhaps more than a decade, before the bridge is built and opened, they said.

What are the two plans for the PA Turnpike Bridge?

In the parlance of government project engineers, the two plans are the six-lane “North Partial Impact” bridge (“NPI”) and the six-lane “North Staged Alternate” (“NSA”).

During NPI bridge build, four lanes of the existing Delaware River toll bridge would remain open, while the new span is built, taking “four construction seasons” to complete, according to turnpike documents. Construction will come with four years of local road detours.

The “NSA” bridge would be built in stages (hence its “Staged Alternate” name).

The four lanes of traffic on the existing bridge will be maintained while the first half of the new bridge is built.

Once the new bridge is half-way built, traffic will be switched to it, while half of the existing bridge is removed. Traffic switches completely to the new bridge after its second stage is complete. Turnpike officials estimate it will take eight years to complete, so there will be eight years of detours on local roads, too.

How will Fleetwing Estates and the Delaware Canal be impacted?

The NPI “matrix” — that is, a color-coded grid listing scores impacts — states there is a “potential impact” to the Fleetwing neighborhood in Bristol Township. Officials at the online meeting said impacts to residences, businesses and the environment won’t be known until a final design is chosen, perhaps by 2028.

However, the NSA alternate plan states the new bridge construction will have “no impact” on the neighborhood.

Why is a new bridge needed?

The present span was built in 1955-56. In 2017, it developed cracks which have since been patched. The federal govenment looked at the bridge, and said it does not meet modern standards to carry I-95, a federal highway, into New Jersey. Basically, the bridge is outdated and at the end of its life.

When does construction begin?

Depending on how smoothly the governmental processes go, the first shovel in the dirt is set for 2031, officials have said. Depending on which plan is chosen, completion will be four to eight years after that.

Will the new PA Turnpike Bridge have lanes for bicycles and pedestrians?

No. Pennsylvania and federal law prohibits either on high-speed highways. However, trails may be added “in and around” the new bridge, meaning beneath the bridge.

Will tolls increase?

No, officials said. The Pennsylvania and New Jersey turnpike commissions will completely fund the project.

Why the PA turnpike bridge is important

The Delaware River Bridge currently carries more than 67,000 vehicles daily, with truck traffic accounting for approximately 16 percent of total volume. Given this heavy demand, the bridge’s existing four-lane configuration is no longer sufficient to meet the capacity needs of the I-95 corridor, one of the busiest and most economically vital highway corridors in the United States. The project will widen the bridge to align with surrounding approach roadways and accommodate projected long-term traffic growth, while also addressing critical infrastructure risk, enhancing travel reliability, improving safety, and bolstering flood resilience.