SCUDDER FALLS – The next major facet of a five-week transitional period to open the new Scudder Falls Toll Bridge’s first-completed span and realign its adjoining I-295 approach segments remains on track to start Wednesday, July 24.
Weather permitting, four interchange ramps that feed off of or onto I-295 in the New Jersey-bound direction will be shut down to traffic for up to three weeks. Posted detours will be put into effect to steer affected motorists onto alternative routes for entering or exiting I-295 EB in Pennsylvania or accessing Route 29 on the bridge’s New Jersey side.
At the I-295/Taylorsville Road interchange (New Hope-Yardley, Exit 10) in Pennsylvania, three ramps will close:
- The I-295 EB off-ramp to Taylorsville Road.
- The Taylorsville Road southbound entry ramp to I-295 EB/SB immediately before the old Scudder Falls Bridge.
- And the Taylorsville Road northbound entry ramp to I-295 EB/SB immediately before the old Scudder Falls Bridge.
Affected motorists from these ramp closures will be detoured to the Yardley-Newtown/Route 332 interchange (Exit 8) either along I-295 WB from the Taylorsville Road interchange or via Taylorsville Road and Route 332/West Afton Avenue/Yardley-Newtown Road.
At the I-295/Route 29 interchange (Exit 76) in New Jersey. one ramp will close:
- The off-ramp to Route 29 immediately after crossing the new bridge from Pennsylvania into New Jersey.
Affected motorists from this ramp closure will be directed to the Scotch Road interchange (Exit ramp 73-A) where they can use the loop ramps to cross over I-295 and make a U-turn onto I-295 NB so they can access the Route 29 exit ramp immediately before the Scudder Falls Toll Bridge (last exit in New Jersey).
The four ramp closures and detours will enable construction crews to extend the affected ramps out to the new temporary I-295 alignment in the vicinity of the newly opened Scudder Falls Toll Bridge’s completed upstream span.
Motorists who use the affected ramps are advised to plan ahead, follow the posted detours, and allow extra time to reach their destinations while the ramp closures/posted detours are in effect. NOTE: Maps depicting the detour routes for the respective interchange ramp closures will be distributed in connection with next week’s project travel advisory, which is scheduled for distribution/posting later this week.
Shortly after the ramp closures go into effect, I-295 New Jersey-bound traffic will be shifted off of the old “functionally obsolete” Scudder Falls Bridge and onto the new completed span of the replacement Scudder Falls Toll Bridge. The ramp closures are scheduled to be lifted on or about August 15, ending the transitional period for moving I-295 traffic in both directions onto the new span.
A video explaining the five-week transitional period to bring the new bridge online with the corresponding new temporary of alignment of I-295 approaches to the bridge may be viewed on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqlCYdUYUeQ
The new temporary alignment of I-295 will remain in place for roughly 18 months, allowing construction crews to demolish the current nearly-60-year-old bridge and build a second dual span that will then carry only New Jersey-bound I-295 traffic across the river.
The second new bridge at Scudder Falls is expected to open to traffic in either late 2020 or early 2021. Another transitional period will then get underway to complete the final stage of the 4-1/2-year-long regional-transportation project. Final project completion is expected in fall 2021.
The aforementioned scheduled ramp closures and detours 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, 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.
