95Revive

95Revive.com

Construction Update

BSR/BRI Aramingo Avenue Construction Update: Winter 2016-17

Continuing Ramp Construction at the Betsy Ross Bridge/Aramingo Avenue Interchange; Widening of Aramingo Avenue Set to Start 

January 2017 – Construction of ramps connecting Interstate 95, the Betsy Ross Bridge and Aramingo Avenue in Philadelphia continues this winter as work gets set to begin on a second contract to improve Aramingo Avenue and extend Adams Avenue in the vicinity of the interchange.

Wide shot of the project area

In a sprawling work zone that occupies large areas on both sides and the middle of I-95 at the interchange, a number of new ramps are taking shape as several existing ramps are reconfigured and widened.

The Ramps

  • Concrete deck on the ramp from Aramingo Ave. to I-95 southAramingo Avenue to I-95 South: Construction to widen and rebuild the ramp continues. Crews are widening the lower end of the existing ramp, where it crosses over Aramingo Avenue, and, as conditions permit, placing the concrete deck (right) for the rebuilt upper section of the ramp that rises high over Frankford Creek and back down to a connection with I-95. The ramp remains closed and detoured during construction.
  • I-95 South to the Betsy Ross Bridge: Work also continues on the permanent entry point (left) of the new ramp from I-95 south to the Betsy Ross Bridge. The main section of the new ramp is open and accessible to I-95 south motorists via a temporary tie-in at I-95 while the permanent connection is made.
  • I-95 South to Aramingo Avenue: The adjacent off-ramp from I-95 south to Aramingo Avenue also remains closed for construction of a replacement ramp. The old ramp has been demolished, and work is underway to build a new ramp that will tie-in to the new ramp from the bridge to Aramingo Avenue. Retaining walls that will stabilize embankments adjacent to the ramp also are currently under construction.
  • Betsy Ross Bridge to Aramingo Avenue: Most of this new ramp, which originally ended east of I-95 as an unfinished stub, is now in place from the stub end, which was demolished and rebuilt, to where it will tie-in to the new ramp from I-95 South to Aramingo Avenue. That combined ramp will merge yet again with the ramp from I-95 north on the west side of Aramingo Avenue.
  • Workers widen the ramp from I-95 north to Aramingo AvenueI-95 North to Aramingo Avenue: Widening at the lower end of this ramp (left) is underway. The widened ramp will merge with two other ramps (see above) to create a single ramp that will end at the complex on the west side of Aramingo Avenue.
  • Aramingo Avenue to the Betsy Ross Bridge: With the eastern and western thirds of the new ramp in place, construction crews this winter are building the middle section of the ramp. Support piers — including a pier in I-95’s median — for this remaining section of ramp are nearing completion. When the piers are finished in early winter, beam setting and deck construction will start on this connecting segment.

Aramingo, Adams Avenue Improvements Begin

Map of Adams Avenue Connector project areaConstruction begins in early winter on a second contract at the interchange that will further improve access to and from I-95 and the bridge via a widened Aramingo Avenue and an extension of Adams Avenue. Following a traffic shift to move four lanes of Aramingo Avenue to the east, crews will demolish and begin rebuilding the western third of the bridge over Frankford Creek under the initial construction stage on the $81 million project. As the bridge is rebuilt, a number of utilities also will be relocated to the new bridge.

Over three-plus years of construction, Aramingo Avenue will be widened to four lanes between Wheatsheaf Lane and Church Street. It will have turn lanes to Church Street, the ramps to I-95 and the bridge, and to the extension of Adams Avenue (below), which also will be built during a later stage of the project. 

Rendering of new intersection at Adams and Aramingo avenues

PennDOT is reconstructing and improving Adams Avenue between Torresdale Avenue and its current eastern terminus at Ashland Street. Adams Avenue will then be extended approximately one mile from Ashland Street to connections with Aramingo Avenue and with the ramps to and from I-95 and the bridge.

Additional improvements to other ramps at this interchange will be constructed in a separate project that will go to bid at the completion of design engineering. In addition to the new $81 million contract to improve Aramingo Avenue and Adams Avenue, PennDOT is investing $160.2 million to improve the interchange. Four additional contracts will complete improvements to the interchange’s ramp system and reconstruct almost one mile of I-95 at the interchange.

PennDOT is maintaining three travel lanes in each direction on I-95 at the interchange during construction; however, overnight lane closures may occur during traffic pattern changes and for stages of construction in the center of the interstate.