Graterford Road Bridge Shut Down For Repairs

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that construction is scheduled to begin Tuesday, November 17, on a $6.8 million project to rehabilitate three structurally-deficient bridges in Bucks and Montgomery counties, three structurally-deficient culverts in Bucks County, and to stabilize a stream embankment at a bridge in Bucks County.

This transportation improvement project is financed with 100 percent state funds from Act 89, Pennsylvania’s transportation plan.

The bridge, built in 1957, carries nearly 2,900 cars a day

The Graterford Road bridge over the Perkiomen Creek in Perkiomen and Skippack townships, Montgomery County, is the first bridge scheduled to undergo construction. Crews will begin work this week to rehabilitate the
three-span bridge that was closed in June 2014 due to severe structural deterioration.

PennDOT’s contractor will restore the bridge by replacing the deck and beams, repairing the piers and support abutments, and upgrading guide rail. The Graterford Road bridge is expected to reopen to traffic in late April 2016.

Built in 1957, the Graterford Road bridge is 218 feet long and 26 feet wide. The structurally-deficient bridge was posted with a 14-ton weight limit and carried 2,900 vehicles a day at the time of its closure. The bridge was
closed following an inspection when it was determined that the beams and deck had deteriorated to the point that it could no longer carry vehicular traffic.

During construction, Graterford Road through traffic will continue to follow the posted detour of Route 29, Plank Road, and Route 73. Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling through the area.

In spring 2016, the contractor is expected to start construction to repair the Oxford Valley Road bridge over U.S. 1 in Langhorne Borough, Bucks County. Crews will repair the structural damage the bridge sustained when it was struck
by an oversized truck earlier this past summer.

The contract also includes the replacement of culverts at the following locations in Bucks County: Route 313 (Dublin Pike) over Morris Run in Hilltown Township; Old Lincoln Highway over a branch of Neshaminy Creek in Bensalem
Township; and Main Street/Bethlehem Pike over Wertz Creek in Sellersville Borough.

In addition, concrete and sub-structure improvements will be made on the Route 611 (Easton Road) bridge over a branch of Neshaminy Creek in Doylestown Township, Buck County, and stream embankment stabilization enhancements will be performed at the Kellers Church Road Bridge over Deep Run in Bedminster Township, Bucks County.

All work on the $6,824,000 project is scheduled to be completed in late 2018. The general contractor is Loftus Construction, Inc. of Cinnaminson, N.J.

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