January 2018 – Crews have demolished and removed the remainder of the old northbound viaduct at Girard Avenue and are setting beams (right) to construct the inner section of the mile-long structure.
In addition, PennDOT has awarded a contract for reconstruction of the southbound side — including the southbound viaduct between Ann and Palmer streets — and will begin reconstruction between Allegheny Avenue and Columbia Avenue in early spring (below).
With traffic shifted onto the partially-completed northbound viaduct and rebuilt northbound lanes north of Ann Street, crews will continue setting the viaduct’s remaining beams and building the pavement this spring. The entire northbound structure is scheduled to be completed in late 2018.
Widening and rebuilding Delaware Avenue between Columbia Avenue and Aramingo Avenue (left) is substantially completed. PennDOT improved this section of Delaware Avenue to aid the movement of traffic to and from the new northbound interchange on Richmond Street and the new southbound interchange that will be built during the next phase of the Girard Avenue Interchange project.
Finished Construction
Under improvements completed during earlier stages of construction at the interchange, Richmond Street was widened reconstructed and relocated to the east from Ann Street to the new intersection with Delaware Avenue and Aramingo Avenue (right). These improvements to Richmond Street also included replacement of the old Conrail overpass between Lehigh Avenue and Somerset Street with three new bridges and installation of a new sanitary sewer collection system (sewer interceptor) at Somerset Street as part of the Richmond Street improvements.
Construction wrapped up in late 2015 at the southern end of the I-95 Girard Avenue Interchange, where crews rebuilt and widened 1,200 feet of I-95 between Palmer Street and Frankford Avenue to four lanes in each direction.
Earlier completed I-95 improvements south of Palmer Street also included installation of noise walls and replacement of I-95 bridges over Columbia Avenue, Marlborough Street and Shackamaxon Street. The new bridges have decorative walls and LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting. Special landscaped areas also were planted along Richmond Street adjacent to I-95 (left). These quality of life enhancements were the result of interactions between PennDOT and community groups represented on the I-95 Sustainable Actions Committee (SAC).
PennDOT’s $42.9 million project to rebuild the 1,200 feet of I-95 south of the Girard Avenue Interchange and replace the bridges over Shackamaxon Street, Marlborough Street and Columbia Avenue won the 2015 Project-of-the-Year awards from the Delaware Valley Section of the American Society of Highway Engineers.
Following reconstruction of the northbound side of I-95 in 2018, the next construction contract will rebuild the southbound side of I-95, including the southbound viaduct, between Allegheny Avenue and Palmer Street. Reconstruction and widening of the southbound side of I-95 is scheduled to begin in 2018, with demolition of the southbound viaduct between Ann and Palmer streets anticipated to begin in 2019.
Two additional contracts slated for construction after 2020 will rebuild the northbound and southbound I-95 viaducts between Frankford Avenue and Race Street, near the I-676 Interchange.
