South Street Bridge construction update

Over the past few months, work has been proceeding on the construction of the steel spans and installation of the conduit and concrete decking on the “new” South Street Bridge, whose predecessor had straddled the Schuylkill River since the 1920s.

sites-planphilly-com-files-southstreetbridge_005-jpg

The photos in the slideshow indicate how the various segments of the new bridge, which sits on 11 original pier bases, are coming together. The slideshow also includes archival photos of the old bridge.

If work continues at its current pace, PennDOT believes the new bridge should be open in December 2010.

“As far as I know, the bridge is going along according to schedule and is expected to be completed on time and on budget,” said architect James Campbell of the South Street Bridge Coalition, “We will have a very walkable, bikeable, drivable, and completely useable bridge in the near future that will give everyone access to two great neighborhoods as well as to Schuylkill Banks.”

The federal government will pick up the bulk of the $67 million tab – 80 percent. The state will pay 15 percent and the city 5 percent. When the bridge first went to design phase in 1995, the price tag was estimated at less than half that, in the low $30 million range, said Rina Cutler, the deputy mayor for transportation who used to work for PennDOT.

The new bridge and viaducts – elevated roadways – will span about 2,000 feet. The roadway will cross over Amtrak, CSX and SEPTA rail lines and pass under the CSX railroad high line. It will include new pedestrian entrances to the University City Regional Rail Station and University of Pennsylvania’s Hollenback Hall.

The project is the largest the city’s streets department has handled since it was created in the early 1950s, department chief engineer and surveyor David J. Perri said.

sites-planphilly-com-files-southstreetbridge_001-jpg

Streets Department website

Over the past few months, work has been proceeding on the construction of the steel spans and installation of the conduit and concrete decking on the “new” South Street Bridge, whose predecessor had straddled the Schuylkill River since the 1920s.

sites-planphilly-com-files-southstreetbridge_005-jpg

The photos in the slideshow indicate how the various segments of the new bridge, which sits on 11 original pier bases, are coming together. The slideshow also includes archival photos of the old bridge.

If work continues at its current pace, PennDOT believes the new bridge should be open in December 2010.

“As far as I know, the bridge is going along according to schedule and is expected to be completed on time and on budget,” said architect James Campbell of the South Street Bridge Coalition, “We will have a very walkable, bikeable, drivable, and completely useable bridge in the near future that will give everyone access to two great neighborhoods as well as to Schuylkill Banks.”

The federal government will pick up the bulk of the $67 million tab – 80 percent. The state will pay 15 percent and the city 5 percent. When the bridge first went to design phase in 1995, the price tag was estimated at less than half that, in the low $30 million range, said Rina Cutler, the deputy mayor for transportation who used to work for PennDOT.

The new bridge and viaducts – elevated roadways – will span about 2,000 feet. The roadway will cross over Amtrak, CSX and SEPTA rail lines and pass under the CSX railroad high line. It will include new pedestrian entrances to the University City Regional Rail Station and University of Pennsylvania’s Hollenback Hall.

The project is the largest the city’s streets department has handled since it was created in the early 1950s, department chief engineer and surveyor David J. Perri said.

sites-planphilly-com-files-southstreetbridge_001-jpg

Streets Department website

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