October 14, 2019 — Construction is underway this fall in the vicinity of the Interstate 95/Betsy Ross Bridge Interchange to rebuild the northbound (east) side of the Aramingo Avenue bridge over the Frankford Creek and reconstruct the northbound lanes of Aramingo Avenue between Wheatsheaf Lane and Church Street.
Over the coming months, crews will dismantle the remaining (east) section of the bridge and demolish its supports and then begin construction of the northern abutment for the new structure which will continue into 2020.
Also this fall, work is underway to remove the existing northbound pavement on Aramingo Avenue and install new stormwater drainage pipes and inlets in the first stage of rebuilding the roadway.
Aramingo Avenue is being widened to include four lanes between Wheatsheaf Lane and the new intersection with the under-construction Adams Avenue Connector. The widening expands to six lanes from Adams Avenue to Church Street to accommodate right and left turn lanes at Church Street, the ramps to I-95 and the bridge, and to the new intersection with Adams Avenue.
Aramingo Avenue narrows to one lane northbound across the new southbound bridge, and remains two lanes southbound through the work are for the remainder of the project.
Adams Avenue Connector
Construction of the new Adams Avenue Connector also continues through mid-2020. The new, half-mile long roadway between Torresdale Avenue and the interchange will connect to Aramingo Avenue at a new signalized intersection at the completion of work. It also will tie in to the new and rebuilt ramps to and from I-95 and the Betsy Ross Bridge at that time.
The reconstructed Adams Avenue intersection with Torresdale Avenue is expected to reopen later this year, restoring the connection to Tacony Street and its intersection with Church Street. When it reopens, pedestrians will find a small section of the new multi-purpose trail and new sidewalks on Adams Avenue and Tacony Street.
A decorative plaza, with stained stamped concrete, protective bollards and LED lighting under the railroad overpass at the Torresdale/Adams intersection marks the entry to the multi-use trail that has been built adjacent to the Connector. The trail, which will remain closed to the public east of Ashland Street while work continues on the Connector, will ultimately connect to and become part of the Frankford Creek Greenway.
Construction of new sidewalks on both sides of Torresdale Avenue in the vicinity of the new Adams Avenue intersection along with installation of ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) ramps at intersections is nearing completion. Also, crews in 2017 finished installation of new water mains along Torresdale Avenue between Frankford Avenue and Adams Avenue as part of the Adams Avenue Connector improvements.
PennDOT is reconstructing, extending, and improving both Adams Avenue and Aramingo Avenue to improve connections between the I-95 interchanges at Bridge Street and the Betsy Ross Bridge. The work is being done under an $81 million contract to jointly improve both roads.
A second contract to improve Aramingo Avenue between Church Street and Tacony Street will be built during the later stages of the Bridge Street Interchange Improvement Project (I-95/BSR).
For more information about this and other projects to rebuild and improve I-95 in Philadelphia, go to 95revive.com.
