EWING, NJ – A resumption of pothole/pavement repairs and a new phase of bridge-building work could affect motorists traveling in the vicinity of the Scudder Falls Bridge next week, the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission announced today.
Motorists are urged to allow extra time to reach their destinations on Monday, Feb. 5, when emergency road surfacing work takes place along I-95 in the vicinity of Taylorsville Road (Exit 51) on the Pennsylvania side of the bridge. I-95 will be reduced to single lanes each direction at that location as follows: I-95 southbound – 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.; AND I-95 northbound – 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There is expected to be an increase of traffic queuing and delays during these respective periods due to movements of construction equipment and rubbernecking by passing drivers.
Also next week, additional pothole repairs and road resurfacing could take place off I-95 along – and at the intersection of – Taylorsville and Woodside roads in Lower Makefield, PA. A precise schedule for these Pennsylvania-side work activities and corresponding travel restrictions will be announced once the information becomes available either over the weekend or early next week.
Meanwhile, a series of ramp closures and new detours might be needed at the I-95/Route 29 interchange (Exit 1) in New Jersey to allow for placement of steel bridge-deck beams – perhaps as early as Wednesday night. Should the planned lifting of steel beams move forward, a variety of traffic movements in the complex I-95/Route 29 interchange will be affected. This would include Route 29 southbound traffic through the interchange, Route 29 northbound traffic onto I-95 southbound, I-95 southbound traffic seeking to access Route 29 southbound, and I-95 northbound traffic from Pennsylvania seeking to access Route 29 northbound.
Any ramp closures and detours will be restricted to the hours of 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. (next morning) on nights when construction cranes are used to lift steel bridge beams into place. More information on implementation dates and detour routes will be released once the prospective work is officially scheduled early next week.
These contingent work details/travel changes aside, the currently scheduled list of project-related travel restrictions for the week of Feb. 4 is as follows for Pennsylvania and New Jersey:
Pennsylvania side
- I-95 north from the Route 332/Newtown-Yardley interchange (Exit 49) to the Scudder Falls Bridge – Intermittent single-lane travel patterns 10 a.m. to 6 a.m. (next day) Monday, Feb. 5, through Friday, Feb. 9.
- I-95 south from the Scudder Falls Bridge to the Route 332/Newtown-Yardley interchange (exit 49) – Intermittent single-lane travel patterns 8 p.m. to 2 p.m. (next day) Monday, Feb. 5, through Friday, Feb. 9.
- Taylorsville Road in vicinity of I-95 – Intermittent single-lane patterns 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 5, to Friday, Feb. 9.
- Woodside Road (west of Taylorsville Road) – Intermittent single-lane patterns 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 5, to Friday, Feb. 9.
- River Road/Route 32 – Intermittent alternating single-lane travel controlled by flaggers 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 5, to Friday, Feb. 9.
New Jersey side
- Route 175/River Road and on-ramp to I-95 north – Intermittent alternating single-lane travel controlled by flaggers 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 5, to Friday, Feb. 9.
- Route 29 interchange with I-95 – Single lane patterns in each direction on Route 29 in project area 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and restricted ramp widths 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 5, to Friday, Feb. 9. Note: Overnight ramp closures with posted detours are possible at select locations OVERNIGHTS 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. perhaps as early as Wednesday, Feb. 7.
Weekends: Project-related lane closures currently are not scheduled for Feb. 3-4 and Feb. 10-11.
The aforementioned scheduled travel restrictions are subject to change due to weather, emergency, traffic, and equipment/materials mobilization considerations. Motorists are urged to allow extra time to reach their destinations, and to reduce speeds and exercise caution when travelling through project work areas.
More information on the Scudder Falls Bridge Replacement Project is available at www.scudderfallsbridge.com.