King of Prussia, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that construction will begin tomorrow, September 13, to build a temporary pedestrian bridge over Amtrak Main Line in Ridley Park Borough, Delaware County, under a project to replace the Sellers Avenue bridge superstructure.
The temporary pedestrian bridge will be constructed over the existing bridge to allow pedestrians to safely cross the railroad tracks. Construction of the temporary pedestrian crossing is expected to finish by early October.
In addition, Sellers Avenue motorists are advised that advanced utility work will continue through early May 2024. Drivers will encounter periodic weekday lane closures from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Sellers Avenue between East Hinckley Avenue and East Hinckley Avenue.
Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling through the work area because backups and delays may occur. All scheduled activities are weather dependent.
The purpose of the project is to ensure a safe and efficient crossing over the Sellers Avenue bridge for all modes of transportation, as the bridge connects downtown Ridley Park Borough with the residential communities.
Under this project, PennDOT's contractor will remove and replace the Sellers Avenue bridge superstructure with a 75-foot-long concrete box beam bridge with two 12-foot travel lanes and sidewalks on both sides. New concrete material will be placed behind the existing stone masonry abutments to increase stability.
In addition, the roadway profile is expected to be raised between three and four feet and the catenary system used to supply electricity to the railway system, which is currently attached to the bridge, will be rerouted along with railroad signals.
Improvements will also occur on the approach roadways to the bridge including East Ridley Avenue, Sellers Avenue, and Hinkley Avenue. Construction includes milling and resurfacing, stormwater management, and ADA curb installation.
Modernized traffic signals and emergency vehicle preemption (EVP) equipment will be installed at the Sellers Avenue and Swarthmore Avenue Intersection. EVP equipment, which provides a green light for emergency vehicles while motorists are stopped at a red light, will also be installed at the East Ridley Avenue and Swarthmore Avenue Intersection.
Bridge demolition and construction of the 51-foot-wide single-span steel girder bridge is expected to begin spring 2024.
Built in 1904, and reconstructed in 1952, the bridge was closed in July 2022 due to structural deterioration discovered during a bridge inspection. Prior to closing, the bridge carried approximately 3,404 vehicles a day.
Road-Con, Inc. of West Chester, PA, is the general contractor on this $9.8 million project financed with 100 percent federal funds.
For more information on this project, visit the Sellers Avenue Bridge Improvement Project webpage.
Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.
For a complete list of construction projects impacting state-owned highways in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties, visit the District 6 Traffic Bulletin.
Information about infrastructure in District 6, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.pa.gov/D6Results. Find PennDOT's planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.
Subscribe to PennDOT District 6 news and traffic alerts at www.penndot.pa.gov/District6.
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Contact: Robyn Briggs, robbriggs@pa.gov
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