I-83 South Bridge Project
Environmental Assessment Open House
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PennDOT welcomes you to the Environmental Assessment Open House for the I-83 South Bridge Project.
The Environmental Assessment (EA) for I-83 South Bridge Project is available for public review
HERE.
The EA, which was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), was available online for review and comment from October 17 to November 16, 2023. Printed copies were available in public locations as listed in a Notice of Availability.
In-person Public Hearings to receive public testimony on the EA were held on November 1 and November 2, 2023. All comments received by November 16, 2023, were reviewed by PennDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Responses to comments will be prepared and included in the NEPA decision document.
Open House Materials
Below you can find updated information about this project, including design plans, the project's purpose and need, environmental studies and schedule.
Project Overview
Project History
The I-83 John Harris Memorial (South) Bridge was built in 1960, and widened in 1982. The bridge connects downtown Harrisburg to its neighboring communities to the west in Cumberland County, and serves as a vital connection for the region. The bridge currently carries more than 125,000 vehicles over the Susquehanna River every day.
The I-83 South Bridge Project is part of the larger I-83 Corridor Master Plan. Prepared in 2003, the Master Plan identified several sections of I-83 that needed to be upgraded to meet traffic demands in the area. Specific independent projects identified in the Master Plan included the I-81/I-83 junction to Union Deposit Road, the Eisenhower Interchange, Eisenhower Interchange to the River, and improvements on the West Shore of the Susquehanna River to the I-83/PA-581 split. The Master Plan also identified the requirement for widening and reconstructing the South Bridge.
In 2019 and 2020, PennDOT conducted the Greater Harrisburg Area Susquehanna River Bridges Master Plan to prioritize bridge improvements across the Susquehanna River. During the study, it was determined that the South Bridge was approaching the end of its serviceable lifespan more quickly than originally anticipated. The serviceable lifespan of a bridge refers to the ability to fix a bridge with repairs versus needing to replace the structure entirely. When a bridge reaches the point in its age and use that it requires frequent, costly repairs that will shut down all or part of the bridge to traffic regularly, it has reached the end of its serviceable lifespan.
Comparing the traffic analysis conducted for the I-83 Master Plan to the analysis conducted for the River Bridges Master Plan showed that traffic has increased more quickly than was originally predicted. These higher traffic volumes cause greater wear and tear on the bridge, contributing to the bridge reaching the end of its serviceable lifespan. For these reasons identified in the 2020 River Bridges Master Plan analysis, full replacement of the South Bridge is proposed.
In February 2021, the project was selected as a candidate for bridge tolling under the MBP3 and an EA was prepared to study the potential impacts related to tolling and toll diversion in accordance with NEPA. The EA was made available for public comment on May 10, 2022. On May 18, 2022, as a result of a lawsuit, the court issued an injunction and all work related to the Major Bridge Public Private Partnership (MBP3) initiative ceased. In July 2022, the General Assembly amended the state's P3 law to remove tolling as a means of funding the MBP3. Since the funds for the project will no longer come from tolling the bridge, PennDOT will program state funds and additional federal funds now available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, as part of current and future Transportation Improvement Plans (TIPs) and the Department's 12-year Program (TYP).
When tolling was being considered as the funding source for the project, impacts to the surrounding communities resulting from a portion of drivers leaving the interstate to avoid paying a toll was a substantial concern for PennDOT. Since the bridge will not be tolled, toll-driven diversion of traffic onto local roads will not occur; therefore, proposed improvements identified along the diversion routes will no longer be included in the project.
As of summer 2023, PennDOT resumed work preparing the Environmental Assessment (EA), which is available now for public comment and review.
Accordion [1]
Expand AllClick here for a more accessible versionThe study area for the South Bridge project spans both Dauphin and Cumberland counties. The eastern project terminus is the eastern end of the viaduct bridge at Cameron Street. The study area includes the South Bridge over the Susquehanna River and extends to the western terminus at the I-83/PA-581 split. The project includes widening and full replacement of the South Bridge, widening and reconstruction of I-83 on the west shore, reconfiguration of the Lemoyne interchange, widening and replacement of the viaduct bridge on the east shore and reconstruction of the Front Street/2nd Street interchange.
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At 63 years old, the South Bridge is nearing the end of its serviceable lifespan. This means that wear and tear has caused the bridge to require more frequent and costly repairs.
The purpose of the I-83 South Bridge Project is to improve traffic flow and safety in the Harrisburg metro region.
Several needs have been identified that the South Bridge project is intended to address:
- The bridge's aging structure: The bridge is approaching the end of its serviceable lifespan. This means that in the near future, wear and tear on the bridge will cause the need for more frequent and costly repairs. In addition most of the pavement on the project corridor is over 50 years old.
- Current and increasing traffic volumes: The current bridge and roadway do not adequately support today's traffic and won't be able to handle future traffic volumes.
- Need for design improvements: The existing roadway system is outdated and in need of updates to meet current design standards.
- Lack of bicycle and pedestrian mobility on the west shore: On the west shore, I-83, the existing interchange design and the location of the railroad hinder the ability for people walking and cycling to access communities and businesses north and south of the interstate and railroad.
Project Design
Accordion [2]
Expand AllClick here for a more accessible versionIn determining how to address the needs of the project, several constraints were taken into consideration:
- The Dock Street Dam is north of and in close proximity to the South Bridge particularly at the eastern end of the bridge; widening or replacement to the north of the existing structure would not be reasonable as it would impact the dam.
- The bridge currently carries over 125,000 vehicles per day and is congested during peak rush hour periods; maintaining traffic during construction is of concern.
- Constructing the new northbound bridge first, which will be located south of the existing structure, will allow traffic to be maintained on the existing bridge structure during construction. Traffic can then be shifted to the new northbound bridge structure, while the existing bridge is demolished and the new southbound bridge structure is built in its place.
- At the touchdown of the bridge on the east shore, constraints to consider during construction include: the Shipoke Historic District, Capital Area Greenbelt trail, Amtrak and Norfolk Southern rail lines, and the Front Street Sewage Pumping Station facility.
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When designing how the new expanded bridge would tie into existing roadways on the west shore, we addressed several key considerations.
- Since the bridge is proposed to be widened to the south, I-83 on the west shore would also need to be widened to the south.
- Widening I-83 to the south would require realignment of Lowther Street, shifting it behind the buildings on the east end of Lowther Street to connect at Susquehanna Court. By realigning Lowther Street, access to the Lemoyne Borough wastewater facility and offices in the area would be maintained without routing traffic through the neighborhood on Walton Street.
- The Norfolk Southern Railroad parallels I-83 to the north constraining the redesign of the interchange on the west shore.}
- Due to the widening of I-83 on the west shore, the South Third Street bridge over I-83 would need to be lengthened to accommodate additional lanes under the bridge. An offline replacement of the South Third Street bridge is proposed to allow for traffic to be maintained on the existing bridge during construction. With this relocation of South Third Street, the on-ramp to I-83 North would be shifted to the west beyond South Third Street, in the same location it had been before the 2015 redesign. The on-ramp would need to be shifted to accommodate the proposed I-83 widening and realignment of Lowther Street.
- The off-ramp from I-83 South would run parallel to the interstate, crossing over the railroad tracks before intersecting with South Third Street near Plum Street.
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The I-83 South Bridge Project is part of the larger I-83 Master Plan to update the Capital City Beltway around Harrisburg through a series of projects aimed at improving traffic operations and safety. The project directly east of the I-83 South Bridge Project is the East Shore Section 3 Project (ESS3), which previously included the construction of the east shore viaduct and Front Street/2nd Street interchange.
As we continue the process of analyzing and developing the I-83 South Bridge Project, we have determined that combining the construction of the east shore viaduct into the construction of the I-83 South Bridge could maximize construction efficiency, reduce overall costs, shorten construction duration, and minimize impacts to traffic and other resources during construction. These efficiencies are estimated to result in savings of approximately $70 million. Therefore, the proposed I-83 South Bridge project now incorporates the area from the eastern end of the South Bridge to Cameron Street, including the viaduct and the Front Street/2nd Street Interchange.
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Typical sections showing the phases of traffic flow during construction are shown below. You can see that the proposed bridge design is widened to accommodate future growth in traffic volumes and has wider shoulders to increase safety on the bridge.
CURRRENT BRIDGE
This is the existing I-83 South Bridge.
BRIDGE DURING CONSTRUCTION
New northbound lanes would be built first, south of the existing structure. Once complete, all traffic would be routed to these new lanes. The existing bridge would then be demolished, and new southbound lanes would be built where the existing bridge was.
BRIDGE AFTER CONSTRUCTION
Once the new southbound lanes are complete, the new South Bridge would be finished. At this time, traffic would be redistributed to their appropriate lanes.
South Third Street Bridge
To accommodate I-83's wider design the South Third Street bridge would need to be lengthened. Given the volume of traffic on South Third Street, the bridge would be reconstructed immediately east of the existing bridge, allowing traffic to use the existing bridge during construction. The eastern replacement minimizes impacts to businesses in the area. This bridge widening would improve bicycle and pedestrian accommodations and connectivity in the area. You can view the proposed changes in the typical section below.
CURRENT SOUTH THIRD STREET BRIDGE
This is the existing South Third Street Bridge.
SOUTH THIRD STREET BRIDGE AFTER CONSTRUCTION
The proposed design includes wider shoulders and sidewalks to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists.
What will the new South Bridge look like?
The final design plans are not complete, but here are some sample renderings of what the new South Bridge might look like.
Bird's eye view in daytime of multi-girder bridge design from the west shore.
Closeup from the Riverwalk on the east shore during daytime of multi-girder bridge design.
Dock Street dam shown on the right side of the image.
Closeup from the Riverwalk on the east shore at sunset of multi-girder bridge design.
Dock Street dam shown on the right side of the image.
The project design on the west shore and bridge would have a consistent aesthetic design with the rest of the I-83 corridor. The images below show an example of the design aesthetic along the I-83 corridor.
Overall elevation of the bridge spanning I-83. This bridge (SR 22 Jonestown Road) would look very similar to South Third Street over I-83 on the west shore.
Closeup of the architectural treatment and protective fence along the length of the bridge.
Environmental & Community Impacts
Environmental Assessment
An Environmental Assessment (EA) is a detailed study into how a project would affect the surrounding community's quality of life, including your health, safety, cultural resources, natural resources and more. The EA, prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), was available for public review and comment from October 17 to November 16, 2023.
Your input is an important component of the EA process.
Accordion [3]
Expand AllClick here for a more accessible versionSection 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act is applicable to federal agencies and requires identification of, and assessment of effects on, historic properties and archaeological sites listed on, or eligible for listing on, the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Consultation with persons interested in the historic and archaeological properties/sites is integral to the Section 106 process and the project's public involvement. The Section 106 process includes identifying an area of potential effect (APE) for the project, and inviting property owners within that APE, as well as historical societies and others to participate in the Section 106 process as "Consulting Parties." Separate APEs are established for the archaeological investigations and for above-ground historical properties.
The APE for the project was established in October 2020 and a survey was conducted of the identified properties over 50 years old within the APE. Subsequent expansions of the APE in May 2021 and for inclusion of the viaduct and Front Street/2nd Street interchange included additional properties in the survey efforts. After identification of potential historic properties and submittal of the eligibility materials, the list of historic properties within the APE was finalized to include:
- Harrisburg Historic District (downtown Harrisburg and Shipoke
- Pennsylvania Railroad: Enola Branch Low Grade Freight Line (West Shore along Susquehanna River)
- Pennsylvania Railroad: Mainline (East Shore in Harrisburg)
- Harrisburg City Parks 7 Parkway Plan (includes the Greenbelt and Riverfront Park)
- West Shore National Bank of Lemoyne (Lemoyne Borough)
- Philadelphia & Reading Railroad: Harrisburg & Pittsburg Branch, Philadelphia to Harrisburg (Lemoyne Borough and Harrisburg)
- Grace United Evangelical Church (Lemoyne Borough)
- Henry T. Simmonds House (New Cumberland Borough)
- Calvary Presbyterian Church (East Shore in Harrisburg)
- Paxton Fire Station (downtown Harrisburg)
- East Shore Diner (Diner was relocated for the East Shore Section 3 Project and no longer exists in the study area)
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With the presence of historic properties within the APE, the project has been evaluated in accordance with Section 106 regulations of the National Historic Preservation Act and the Pennsylvania State History Code. Through this evaluation and coordination with the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), it was determined that the project would result in No Adverse Effect to historic properties.
After initial design activities were conducted, areas that were previously undisturbed were investigated for the potential to contain archaeological deposits. No archaeological deposits were found in the geomorphological and archaeological investigations conducted for the project. It has been determined that there are no archeological resources in the project area.
Since new lanes are being added northbound and southbound and the Lemoyne and Front Street/Second Street interchanges are being reconstructed, the I-83 South Bridge Project is eligible for consideration of noise abatement. A noise analysis was conducted and included noise monitoring of existing conditions and noise modeling for future conditions. Noise modeling was performed to predict noise levels throughout the project area under worst-case, peak-hour traffic conditions.
The noise analysis studies included existing conditions in 2016, conditions in 2050 under a no-build scenario, and conditions in 2050 with the new bridge project design.
Throughout the project corridor, four noise study areas (NSA) approached or exceeded PennDOT and FHWA's Noise Abatement Criteria (NAC) warranting abatement consideration. These are labeled as NSA 2, NSA 3, NSA 4 and NSA6. Based on meeting the criteria, an evaluation of noise abatement was conducted for these four locations.
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Click to view map larger.
Through the noise abatement evaluation analysis, it was determined that sound barriers were both feasible and reasonable for two of the locations, NSA 2 and NSA 3. It was determined that noise abatement was not feasible and/or reasonable for the other two locations, NSA 4 and NSA 6.
With these results, additional analyses are recommended for NSA 2 and NSA 3 during the final design phase of the project.
The parameters of warranted, feasibility, and reasonableness are explained below:
- Warranted: Noise abatement is warranted in areas approaching or exceeding the NAC due to traffic noise at noise sensitive land uses within the project corridor.
- Feasibility: Where warranted, noise abatement feasibility looks at the effectiveness of a noise barrier in reducing noise, and the ability to construct without introducing substantial engineering or safety problems to the project.
- Reasonableness: If noise abatement passes the feasibility test, the reasonableness is evaluated to ensure that a noise barrier is appropriate for a given area or project by assessing cost/benefit, noise reduction goals, and the consideration of viewpoints from the benefitted receptors. If it passes the reasonable test, benefitted receptors of the noise barrier would cast a vote on if they would like to have a noise wall constructed. If the vote passes by a majority, a noise barrier would be constructed.
It is PennDOT's policy to assess the air quality impacts of transportation improvement projects and to give consideration to the incorporation of appropriate avoidance and/or relief strategies into preliminary engineering designs and construction for those projects that have potential air quality impacts. An air quality analysis has been conducted for this project in accordance with US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA), Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) and PennDOT's approved Air Quality protocols and procedures. The analysis evaluated the air quality impacts of the project relative to national ambient air quality standards. This includes an analysis of:
- Whether the project will cause or contribute to a new localized exceedance of carbon monoxide (CO) or particulate matter (PM2.5) ambient air quality standards or increase the frequency or severity of any existing exceedances.
- The potential for Mobile Source Air Toxics (MSATs) impacts due to the project.
- The greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts of the project.
After the analysis was conducted, it was determined that the project would have no significant adverse impact on air quality in any of these categories.
A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Report (ESA) was conducted for the project study area. The Phase I ESA included record reviews, interviews, site reconnaissance, compilation of data, data evaluation, and recommendations. Fourteen sites were identified that will require further investigation as the project progresses.
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Click to view map larger.
Nineteen total sites were identified in the project area. Site 8 on the West Shore and Sites 1, 5, 8, and 12 on the East Shore did not require further investigation as no earth disturbance was anticipated.
Wetland studies were completed for the project and a Wetland Identification and Delineation Report was prepared to meet the regulatory requirements of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). In this report, it was identified that the project area includes the Susquehanna River and Paxton Creek waterways and three river island wetland areas.
Impacts to the river island wetlands are shown in the table below:
River Island Wetlands Impacts
| Impact
|
Temporary Island Wetland Impact due to Construction Bridges
| 0.31 Acres
|
Permanent Island Wetland Impact due to Bridge Pier
| 0.03 Acres
|
Vegetation Cutting on Island Wetland
| 0.41 Acres (Includes 0.31 acres of temporary impact for bridge construction)
|
Shade on Island Wetland from Proposed Bridge
| 0.22 Acres
|
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Impacts to streams are shown in the table below:
| Impact Type | Feature | Paxton Creek Impact | Susquehanna River Impact |
| Temporary Access Road from West Bank | Temporary Fill in River | NA | 180,000 sq ft (4.02 acres) |
| Temporary Construction Bridgea | Temporary Bridge Deck | NA | Approximately 45 feet wide by 1,500 feet long with trestle fingers around piers. (Approximately 3.22 acresa) |
| Temporary Construction Bridgea | Trestle Bridge Piers | NA | Approximately 0.02 acrea |
| Bridge Length | Top of Bank to Top of Bank | 25 feet | 3,060 feet |
| Bridge Width | Upstream to Downstream | 218 feet | 175 feet to 233 feet (Includes Ramp L) |
| Bridge Deck Area | Bridge Deck Shading | 0.12 acre (clear span) | 14.33 acres – shading variable based on sun angle |
| Permanent Piers in the River | 16 pier linesb South Bridge | NA | 74,000 sq ft (1.70 acre) |
| Permanent Piers in the River | 4 piers for Ramp L | NA | 3,200 sq ft (0.07 acre)
|
Note: NA = not applicable
a Four temporary construction bridges would be required but only one would be in place at a time (extending about halfway across the river).
b There are 18 existing lines of piers that support the current bridge. They are continuous across the full bridge width. The replacement bridge will have a break in the piers between the northbound and southbound directions, but there will be 16 lines of piers supporting the bridge. Four additional piers will be supporting the northbound exit ramp to Second Street.
The new South Bridge would not increase the flood elevations in the project area. During construction of the project, access in the river would be needed for constructing the bridge. PennDOT is coordinating with relevant regulatory agencies to minimize flooding impacts due to construction activities. Reconstruction of the viaduct would span Paxton Creek and would not impact floodplains in the area.
Paxton Creek has an extensive 100-year floodplain, which in combination with the Susquehanna River, covers much of the east shore within the study area. The Paxton Creek floodway is mainly confined between the Amtrak rail corridor on the west and 10th Street on the east.
A habitat for Northern long-eared bats for their spring staging and fall swarming exists in the project area. To avoid impacts to this species, the project team will not conduct tree cutting in the project area between May 15 and August 15.
Where the project requires acquisition of ROW, property would be purchased in accordance with the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970.
More information can be found in the following publications:
There will be no disproportionately high and adverse effects on low-income, minority, or other underserved populations in the regional study area. Overall, the project will provide improved mobility for all traveling through and within the project area.
There is a homeless encampment in a parcel required for bridge construction and staging on the east shore that would need to be vacated. To mitigate impacts, the project team will coordinate with the City of Harrisburg, Dauphin County, and Capital Area Coalition on Homelessness regarding the project schedule and services that can be offered to assist in addressing the homeless encampment. Advanced notice will be provided to the unhoused community that they will need to vacate the area for PennDOT construction. PennDOT will remediate the area for any health and safety concerns related to waste materials left behind after the property is vacated.
Project Schedule
The next step is to complete the NEPA process for this project. The results of the EA's environmental analyses will determine whether an Environmental Impact Statement needs to be prepared, or whether a Finding of No Significant Impact can be issued.
Here, you can see a timeline of the project's major milestones:
