May 7, 2021 – Work at the northern end of the Interstate 95/Bridge Street Interchange in Philadelphia is focused this spring on installation of the project’s complex drainage system, construction of the northbound sides of two overpasses, and installation of the long retaining wall along Tacony Street that will support the rebuilt northbound side of the interstate.
With all the old northbound pavement removed between Levick Street and Carver Street, drainage crews are excavating and installing the numerous inlets, cross pipes, and outlets that make up the highway’s complex and updated stormwater drainage system (see right).
The excavated concrete pavement is being recycled for use on the project as embankments or as backfill behind the retaining wall along Tacony Street.
The new drainage system extends east from the highway, and under Tacony Street to its outfall in the Delaware River at Lardner’s Point, situated in the shadow of the Tacony Palmyra Bridge. The contractor has completed construction of a basin at the foot of the bridge and extended the storm sewer pipe to end at the river. The contractor will work this spring to complete the restorations at Lardner’s Point Park.
Along Tacony Street, the contractor is installing new water mains this spring on the west side, inside of the current work zone. Construction of foundations for the long retaining wall is also underway. Crews will begin installing the retaining wall’s panels this summer.
Bridge crews will complete foundations and abutments for the northbound side of I-95 bridges (see above) over Comly Street and VanKirk Street this spring and place deck beams and start deck construction this summer.
Construction of the new northbound pavement is expected to start in late summer, finishing the northbound side this fall and shifting three lanes each of northbound and southbound traffic to the rebuilt northbound side to begin work on the southbound lanes.
Southbound and northbound I-95 are reduced to three lanes each from just south of the Cottman Avenue Interchange through the Bridge Street exit during this stage and future stages of the three-year BS1 project. Three travel lanes in each direction will remain open during peak travel times, though periodic off-peak lane closures may be in place on I-95 during certain stages of construction operations.
Retaining wall construction.
All on and off-ramps at the Bridge Street Interchange will remain open during BS1 construction.
Work on this project is being done in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and state Department of Health guidance as well as a project-specific COVID-19 safety plan, which will include protocols for social distancing, use of face coverings, personal and jobsite cleaning protocols, management of entries to the jobsite, special signage, and relevant training.
Section BS1 is the first of two contracts to reconstruct mainline I-95 at the Bridge Street Interchange. A second mainline reconstruction project at the interchange, Section BS2, is currently in design and will move to construction following completion of Section BS1 in late 2022.
The H&K Group, Inc. of Skippack, Montgomery County, is the project’s general contractor.
