May 7, 2021 – Construction of the new ramps from the Betsy Ross Bridge to northbound and southbound Interstate 95 and Aramingo Avenue continues this spring along with construction of half of the ramp from northbound I-95 to the bridge under the second ramp replacement contract at the interchange.
The $93 million Section BR2 contract is part of PennDOT’s larger initiative to rebuild the section of I-95 between Bridge Street and the Frankford Creek.
With the ramp and support piers for the ramp from the bridge to southbound I-95 removed, crews are now constructing the support piers for the new structure (see right) and will begin placing deck beams and starting deck construction this summer.
The ramp from the bridge to northbound
I-95, which splits from the main ramp coming from the bridge to I-95, is also closed while its connection to the main ramp is reconstructed.
These ramps will remain closed during construction that is scheduled to be completed by fall 2021. Westbound bridge traffic heading for I-95 is being detoured to the ramps at Aramingo Avenue.
The ramp from northbound I-95 to the bridge — which also passes over the Frankford Creek — is being rebuilt a half-at-a-time and remains open to traffic. Beam setting and deck construction on the southern half of the ramp bridge over the creek will take place this spring and be completed this summer. Traffic will then be moved onto the south side of the ramp for construction of the northern half of the new structure.
The ramp from Aramingo Avenue to southbound I-95 will be closed for about 10 months for replacement in late 2021 as well.
(In a related activity, the BR2 contractor completed emergency repairs to the northbound bridge deck over Orthodox Street. The emergency closed lanes on northbound I-95 for several days in early spring.)
The first ramp replacement contract, Section BR0, was completed in 2017. Additionally, ramps from the bridge and from Aramingo Avenue to northbound I-95 will be rebuilt under the Section BR3 project scheduled to begin in 2023. At the conclusion of BR3, the entire I-95/Betsy Ross Bridge Interchange will have been rebuilt to meet current and future traffic needs through 2050 and beyond.
When BR2 construction finishes in mid-2022, the ramps will be tied into improvements nearing completion along Aramingo Avenue and Adams Avenue. Two additional contracts, Sections BR4 and BR5, will reconstruct almost a mile of I-95’s mainline between the Betsy Ross Bridge and Bridge Street interchanges.
