Tyson Avenue Bridge Repairs Underway

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA — A township commissioner has provided more details on the Tyson Avenue bridge construction project that falls under his ward.

Commissioner John L. Spiegelman, who represents Ward 11, informed residents about PennDOT's work on the "long-awaited and much-needed repair/refurbishment work" on the Tyson Avenue Bridge.

Subscribe

The bridge carries Tyson Avenue (State Road 2036) over Susquehanna Road (State Road 2017).

The project started on Monday and runs through Dec. 18.

Spiegelman said that throughout the project, the 1000 and 1100 blocks of Tyson are closed/detoured 24/7 between Easton Road and Albright Avenue.

The commissioner said that he is in contact with both PennDOT and Loftus Construction, the contractor (operating out of both King of Prussia and Cinnaminson, NJ) that will be performing the work.

He provided the following information:

ACCESS FOR TYSON RESIDENTS

Local access will be maintained throughout the project so that folks on the 1000 and 1100 blocks of Tyson can access their driveways, deliveries can get through, trash/recycling collection can be maintained, etc.

PROJECT WORK HOURS

Loftus's standard work hours are 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There are no overnight work planned on the project.

EVENTUAL SUSQUEHANNA CLOSURE/DETOUR

PennDOT and Loftus are still determining how best to handle the closure and detour of Susquehanna between Edge Hill and Easton Roads during the later stages of the project, when they will be working on the undercarriage of the bridge.

Spiegelman said that PennDOT has indicated that in terms of being able to perform the underside work most efficiently such that the entire project is completed more quickly, their preference is a one-week, Saturday-to-Saturday closure/detour of Susquehanna.

Although the standard PennDOT practice is to detour along state roads only (see below), they have coordinated with Montgomery County to use Easton (a county road) for the official detour, which will make it more bearable regardless of when it happens.

The commissioner said he will keep everyone posted once a final decision is made about scheduling the Susquehanna closure/detour.

TRAFFIC SAFETY DURING THE TYSON DETOUR

Regarding the official PennDOT detour for the Tyson closure, it includes only state roads: Edge Hill, Susquehanna, Jenkintown, and Fitzwatertown roads.

"I have already communicated to PennDOT, State Rep. Ben Sanchez and his District Office team, and our APD the essential need for maximum protection to be provided to the neighborhood streets and institutions that do not have the capacity to accommodate the increases in traffic volume and speed that are too often associated with detours," he said.

These include, but are not limited to, Albright Avenue, Hillthorpe Avenue, the Roslyn Ridge section (1100 and 1200 blocks) of Grovania Avenue, our Highland Farms streets on the opposite side of Edge Hill, Briar Bush Nature Center, Highland Elementary, and many others.