Walnut Lane to Close April 1 in Philadelphia for Bridge Deck Replacement

Walnut Lane to Close April 1 in Philadelphia for Bridge Deck Replacement

3/15/2016-KING OF PRUSSIA

The Walnut Lane bridge over Wissahickon Creek in Philadelphia will be
closed
and detoured for five months starting Friday night, April 1 to replace the
existing deteriorated concrete deck and sidewalks, the Pennsylvania
Department
of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced. The bridge is expected to
reopen
in early September.

During the bridge closure, Walnut Lane through traffic will be detoured
over
Wissahickon Avenue, Midvale Avenue, and Henry Avenue. One sidewalk will
remain
open on the bridge for pedestrian travel during construction.

This work is part of PennDOT's $14.7 million project to rehabilitate the
historic Walnut Lane Bridge. Construction began in November 2015 to improve
the
bridge by removing the existing bridge deck and replacing it with a new
concrete deck. The plan also includes replacing the existing sidewalk,
sidewalk
supports and balustrade railing; repairing the support abutments and piers
with
formed concrete to match the architectural line and texture of the existing

abutments and piers; maintaining the existing plaque at the southwest
corner of
the bridge; and replacing the damaged plaque at the northeast corner with a

replica plaque. The contractor also is installing new tear-drop street
lights,
and removing the existing temporary structure under the bridge over
Forbidden
Drive.

The improvement plan also includes the reconstruction of the existing
roundabout on Walnut Lane at the intersection of Park Line Drive to enhance

travel and safety. The contractor will resurface the roundabout approaches;

install new sidewalks; install curb ramps; reconstruct and landscape the
center
island; relocate a water main and inlets; and install new fire hydrants.

The six-span Walnut Lane bridge was built in 1907. The concrete arch
structure
is 565 feet long and 60 feet wide. It carries 16,810 vehicles a day.

Buckley and Company, Inc. of Philadelphia is the general contractor on the
$14,769,654 contractor which is funded with 100 percent federal funds. The
project is expected to finish in August 2017.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles by
visiting
www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides
traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and
access
to more than 770 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and
Android
devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts
accessible
on the 511PA website.

For more PennDOT information, visit www.penndot.gov. Follow Local PennDOT
Information on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAPhilly, and follow the
department on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/pennsylvaniadepartmentoftransportation and Instagram at
www.instagram.com/pennsylvaniadot.

MEDIA CONTACT: Charles Metzger, 610-205-6801

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