After 4 Years, Route 1 First Leg Of Construction Compete In Bensalem

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA —The first leg of Route 1 improvements along the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Bensalem Township is finished, four years after construction began, PennDOT said.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced Thursday that it will mark the first phase of the project's completion by holding a news conference Friday to highlight the department’s "significant highway and bridge improvements" across Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties this year.

PennDOT District 6 executives will be joined by township and Bucks County officials to discuss the completion of the U.S. 1 Section RC1 improvement project on Route 1 between Old Lincoln Highway and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

PennDOT outlined details of the first phase of the reconstruction and improvement project:

• Cost: $94.5 million
• Funding: 80 percent federal, 20 percent state
• General Contractor: Allan Myers
• Construction: Worcester
• Construction Management: Urban
• Engineers, Philadelphia
• Construction Start: October 2018
• Construction Finish: December 2022

The project called for the full-depth reconstruction and widening of 1.3 miles of Route 1 from Old Lincoln Highway to north of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Interchange, and improvements to the Route 1 interchanges at Street Road (Route 132) and the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-276).

It is the first of three construction contracts that comprise PennDOT’s Route 1 Improvement Program to widen the highway, replace aging bridges, and complete a number of highway safety enhancements along five miles of the highway in Bensalem and Middletown townships and Langhorne Manor and Langhorne boroughs.

Section RC2 construction to improve and widen Route 1 from the PA Turnpike to north of the Penndel/Business Route 1 Interchange is currently underway.

Section RC3 improvements from Penndel/Business Route 1 to north of Route 413 (Pine Street) remain under design and are scheduled for construction in late 2026.

Advanced engineering started on the third phase with core borings work this week in Bensalem and Middletown townships.

For the first leg, PennDOT provided additional project details:

• Constructed a third travel lane and an auxiliary lane in both directions between the PA Turnpike (I-276) and Street Road (Route 132) interchanges;
• Built a northbound turn lane from Old Lincoln Highway to Street Road (Route 132).
• Replaced U.S. 1 bridges over Street Road (Route 132), Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-276), and Turnpike ramps, as well as the Bristol Road bridge over U.S.1. The new bridges are wider and have increased vertical clearance to accommodate higher commercial vehicles.
• Improved and reconstructed ramps to/from U.S. 1 and the PA Turnpike (I-276).
• Replaced original Street Road (Route 132) ramps to and from northbound U.S. 1 with new ramps at a signalized intersection on the eastbound side of Street Road (Route 132) east of U.S. 1.
• Improved the U.S. 1 interchange with Street Road (Route 132)
• Constructed two left turn lanes on eastbound Street Road (Route 132) at the PA Turnpike slip ramp.
• Built a second lane to the PA Turnpike ramps from northbound and southbound U.S. 1
• Replaced original median guiderail with a new concrete median barrier/glare screen on U.S. 1.
• Replaced original Street Road (Route 132) ramps to and from southbound U.S. 1 with new ramps at a signalized intersection on the eastbound side of Street Road (Route 132) west of U.S. 1.
• Reconstructed and widened Street Road (132) in the vicinity of the U.S. 1 Interchange. • Installed sound barrier walls for traffic noise abatement along southbound U.S. 1. • Installed a new storm-water management system.
• Replaced overhead signs.