PennDOT - District 6 News
Wolf Administration Marks Completion of U.S. 13 (Frankford Avenue) over Pennypack Creek, America's Oldest Bridge, in Philadelphia
King of Prussia, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) joined elected officials today to celebrate the reopening of the stone-arch bridge carrying U.S. 13 (Frankford Avenue) over Pennypack Creek in Philadelphia, the oldest bridge still in use in the United States.
"Reconstructing the oldest bridge in the country is no small task," PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards said. "This rehabilitation was truly a unique undertaking for the designers, engineers and contractors, as they were collectively tasked with extending the structure's service life while at the same time preserving the structural integrity and historic value of the bridge."
PennDOT's contractor rehabilitated the bridge by removing and rebuilding the north spandrel wall; excavating and replacing the arch backfill with lightweight concrete; repairing deteriorated concrete along the arch barrel and repointing stone masonry throughout the structure; reconstructing damaged stone masonry parapet walls; reconstructing the sidewalks; replacing the bridge barrier with a new crashworthy bridge barrier; and cleaning and painting of the existing pedestrian railings. In addition, a utility bay was created under a new concrete pavement constructed along the centerline of the bridge to house a majority of the utilities.
Following the rehabilitation, the 20-ton weight restriction on the bridge has been lifted.
Built in 1697 and reconstructed in 1893, the U.S. 13 (Frankford Avenue) bridge over Pennypack Creek is a three-span stone masonry and concrete closed spandrel arch structure. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the bridge is 73 feet long, 50 feet wide and carries about 14,745 vehicles a day, including SEPTA's Route 66 trolley.
The Frankford Avenue culvert over Former Mill Race, which is adjacent to the bridge, was also rehabilitated as part of this project. The culvert is a single span stone masonry arch culvert eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
The U.S. 13 (Frankford Avenue) bridge over Pennypack Creek is the first of seven poor rated bridges in Philadelphia, Delaware and Montgomery counties that PennDOT is repairing under a $7,220,000 bridge improvement project.
The six additional structures scheduled for rehabilitation under this project include the following:
• Bryn Mawr Avenue over Doom Run in Radnor Township, Delaware County;
• Bryn Mawr Avenue over Meadowbrook Creek in Radnor Township, Delaware County;
• Bryn Mawr Avenue over a tributary to Meadowbrook Run in Radnor Township, Delaware County;
• Byberry Road over Southampton Creek in Upper Moreland Township and Bryn Athyn Borough, Montgomery County;
• Greenwood Avenue over a branch of Rock Creek in Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County; and
• Eagleville Road over Eagleville Run in Lower Providence Township, Montgomery County.
Byberry Road over Southampton Creek and Bryn Mawr Avenue over a tributary to Meadowbrook Run are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Work on the entire project is expected to be completed in late 2019.
Loftus Construction, Inc. of Cinnaminson, N.J., is the general contractor on this bridge improvement project that is financed with 80 percent federal and 20 percent state funds.
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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.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Bob Kent, 610-205-6644
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