Traffic and Construction Updates
PennDOT to Close Route 263 in Solebury Township Next Week for Pipe Replacement
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that Route 263 (Upper York Road) will be closed and detoured between Route 32 (River Road) and Phillips Mill Road in Solebury Township, Bucks County, on Monday through Friday (June 7-11) from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for drainage pipe replacement.
June 7 - 11, 2010
During the road closure, Route 263 through traffic will be detoured over Route 32 and Phillips Road. Local access will be maintained up to the construction zone. Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling through the area.
The work will be completed by PennDOT Bucks County Maintenance crews.
PennDOT reminds motorists they can log on to 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions on major highways before heading out.
For more information, visit www.dot.state.pa.us/district6 or call 610.205.6700.
PennDOT to Close Rabbit Run Bridge on Route 32 Monday for Bridge Deck Repair
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that the Route 32 (River Road) Bridge over Rabbit Run in Solebury Township, Bucks County, will be closed Monday (April 26) for bridge deck repair. The bridge will close at 8 a.m. and reopen by 4 p.m.
April 23, 2010
During the operation, Route 32 through traffic will be detoured over Route 179 and Route 202. Local access will be maintained up to the construction zone. Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling through the area.
The existing steel I-beam bridge with an open steel grate deck was built in 1932. The structure is 61 feet long and 27 feet wide. The one-span bridge carries 3,554 vehicles a day and is posted with a 30 ton weight limit.
PennDOT is currently designing a project to replace the Route 32 bridge with a one-span adjacent pre-stressed concrete bridge. Construction is expected to start early next year. The new bridge will be 61 feet long and 33 feet wide.
PennDOT reminds motorists they can log on to 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions on major highways before heading out.
For more information, visit www.dot.state.pa.us/district6 or call 610.205.6700.
Media contact: Charles Metzger, PennDOT Community Relations Coordinator, 610.205.6801.
All New Hope-Lambertville (Route 202) Toll Bridge Lanes Are Now Open
Cantilever Bracket Improvement Project on Cusp of Achieving Substantial Completion; Bridge's Outer Lanes Have Been Closed to Traffic since November 2007
October 7, 2009
NEW HOPE, PA - On October 3, The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission once again allows travel on all four lanes of the New Hope-Lambertville (Route 202) Toll Bridge.
The bridge's right-hand lanes in both directions have been closed since November 2007 after a routine inspection detected some damage to the cantilever brackets that help support the outer lanes of the bridge. While the bridge was deemed safe, the Commission closed the outer lanes as a precautionary measure as it examined the damage, planned a course of action to make repairs, and then executed the resulting project over the course of the past six months. "We have come to the point where we can fully reopen the bridge to traffic for the first time in nearly two years," said Frank G. McCartney, the Commission's executive director. "There are several project details that still need to be completed, but the bulk of the work is behind us."
The bridge's recent repair project involved strengthening the bridge's 130 cantilever brackets, a small number of which exhibited significant rust damage. The component of the cantilever brackets that underwent repairs was a steel connection plate considered to be excessively prone to rust damage. The project involved removal of the rust-prone section of steel on each bracket and the installation of a new higher-strength steel replacement segment. Because work crews could make their repairs by accessing the support structure from the bridge's outer lanes, the construction activities had minimal impact on traffic. The four-lane New Hope-Lambertville Toll Bridge was opened to traffic on July 22, 1971 and carries U.S. Route 202 over the Delaware River between Delaware Township, N.J. and Solebury, Pa. The bridge is a 1,682 foot, 10-span steel girder and concrete deck structure. The average daily traffic count on the bridge was 11,000 vehicles in 2008.
New Hope-Lambertville (Route 202) Toll Bridge Improvement Project
June 24, 2009
The Commission is in the process of repairing and strengthening the 130 cantilever brackets on the New Hope-Lambertville (Route 202) Toll Bridge. The component to be repaired is a steel connection plate that is considered to be excessively prone to rust damage. One of the multiple connection plates on each bracket will be removed and replaced with higher-strength steel. The work will involve sawing, grinding, drilling, and spot painting. The bridge's outer lanes were closed in November 2007 after a routine inspection detected some rust damage to the cantilever brackets that help support the outer lanes of the bridge. The bridge is safe, but the Commission closed the outer lanes as a precautionary measure so it could fully assess the situation and develop a repair plan. This work included load testing and strain testing, metal analysis, and further inspections by the Commission's engineers and consultants. Construction is expected to last 6 to 8 months, with an estimated completion date of fall 2009. Construction activities are expected to have minimal to no impact on traffic. For other area DRJTBC project information visit www.drjtbc.org
Breathing A Sigh Of Relief:
Bridge Street Bridge Opens With Fanfare!
June 12, 2009
New incoming president of the Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce, Glen Stephan, would like to thank everyone for the successful bridge opening on Bridge St. at the canal on June 12th. The hard work of Grace Industries, Penndot, the New Hope Borough and Council to work effortlessly and keep to a schedule that had to endure some unknown construction obstacles as well as a winter schedule should be applauded along with the patience of our Bridge Street businesses.
The bridge opening ceremony sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce at Mr. Stephan’s property on the canal was made possible by New Hope’s always supportive restaurants (Mother’s Havana’s, 90 Main, Marsha Brown, Tuscany, & The Mansion Inn) and the beautiful flowers from The Living Earth. A welcomed visit by our mule barge four legged friend, Dottie, made everyone feel that life was getting back to the “old days”. It was a well received crowd who were happy to say “goodbye” to the barrels and dust.
The bridge street merchants and residences have made it through a few years of disruptions with a number of different projects too. A sigh of relief couldn’t have come any sooner as the busy summer and fall seasons approaches.
The Chamber of Commerce is an all-volunteer not-for-profit organization that relies solely on business and personal memberships to promote and market the business community. Volunteers also run various events throughout the year to help draw visitors to the greater New Hope/Bucks County area. Please see the Chamber web site calendar page and also be sure to sign up for the events updates and monthly e-newsletter (See Join Our eNews List on the home page) for all of the upcoming events in the New Hope area. Glen states, “The Chamber of Commerce will continue to seek out our fine businesses, personally and invite them to join and participate in our common goals to better promote and support the wonderful town and surrounding area in which we live and do business in.”
PENNDOT Update
June 2, 2009
The north-side decorative wood truss is almost complete, and the contractor intends to have the specialized carpenters back onsite to work on the south side truss as well, greatly enhancing the overall aesthetics of the new bridge.
Prime Contractor Grace Industries remains committed to their plan for re-opening as scheduled. A full road closure will be implemented on the morning of Thursday June 11, in order to prepare to open the new bridge to full traffic by the end of work on Friday June 12. During this closure, temporary concrete barriers must be removed, temporary paving must be milled out, the full width of the roadway must be final-paved, new line striping must be placed, etc.
At thatÊ point, the detour will be taken down. But again, please remember, that some work will still continue on site for the couple of weeks following. All efforts will be made to minimize any associated traffic impacts, and any required traffic control operations for that remaining work will be "short-term" and localized.
On the issue of painting the galvanized steel bridge rail: This Borough request has not been ignored, and we are committed to performing this work. We have been meeting with design professionals, painting contractors, and paint system suppliers to overcome the significant technical concerns involved in effectively painting galvanized steel. The Department's plan is to leave the contract for this project "open" until the fall, so that the painting contractor can be working in September or October to complete this work. PENNDOT appreciates all of your patience, cooperation, and assistance throughout this bridge replacement project.
The Countdown Begins...Bridge Opening On The Horizon
May 20, 2009
On the morning of Thursday June 11, 2009, NB SR 0179 (Bridge St.) will close
to all traffic, to allow crews to work on removing barrier, performing
road-pavement milling, paving the full-width of the road, laying down line
striping, etc. The road will remain closed overnight.
By the end of the Friday June 12, 2009 work day, the road will be
re-opened to two-way traffic and the detour taken down.
Work will continue on site for a couple of weeks after that, wrapping up
remaining elements such as completion of the decorative wood trusses, canal
restoration, railing work, addressing "punch list" items, etc. Any future
resulting traffic impacts should be limited in nature and duration, and will
be handled using "short-term" traffic patterns (i.e., using flaggers, cones,
etc.) as necessary to safely conduct these final operations.
Note- Installation of the decorative wood trusses has not yet begun because
PENNDOT is still working out the details of properly and effectively painting the galvanized bridge-rail. This will require a good deal
of prep work to prepare the galvanized surface to accept paint, and this
would be best done prior to constructing the trusses.
Phase 2: Deck Pour
May 14, 2009
PennDOT prime contractor Grace Industries has scheduled the concrete placement for the Phase 2 bridge-deck for Monday (5/18) which will require closure of NB Rt. 179. In the interest of obtaining the best possible outcome, the closure is planned for overnight work to allow the newly placed concrete to fully set before being subjected to the road vibrations of the adjacent completed span.
Work Continues...
May 3, 2009
According to Grace Industries' Site Superintendent Brad Chamberlain: At this point in time, and barring any unforeseen delays, they are basically on schedule to have the road opento two-way traffic on or around June 12 (Note: Grace will still be wrapping up some incidental work beyond that date, but they are anticipating having the road open as scheduled.)
Setting Beams
May 1, 2009
Grace Industries is anticipating setting beams next Wednesday, May 6th — one week from today — which will require a temporary road closure. Grace's superintendent anticipates that Bridge Street will be closed to all traffic between 6am-2pm.
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