Pennsylvania and New Jersey turnpike authorities are considering potential solutions to ease traffic on the increasingly congested Delaware River Bridge, with discussions set for three public meetings in March, writes Michael Tanenbaum for the Philly Voice.
One possibility is replacing the 1956 toll bridge that connects the turnpikes along Interstate 95. Another is to repair the bridge and add a second span, giving motorists a route into New Jersey on one bridge and into Pennsylvania on the other.
The Delaware River Bridge carries around 67,000 vehicles daily between Bristol Township and Burlington Township. Traffic has increased significantly in the last seven years since ramps that reroute I-95 across the 1.25-mile-long bridge were completed.
The Pennsylvania and New Jersey turnpikes are working on environmental studies to determine long-term ways to improve congestion. No final decision is expected before the end of 2027.
“We’re toll-driven, so we have to limit impacts on our customers,” said John Boyer, the project manager at the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
The first of the three planned meetings was on March 12 on Zoom. Next, the Pennsylvania Turnpike will hold an in-person open house on March 19 at Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Levittown.
Read more about how authorities are considering potential solutions to ease traffic on the congested Delaware River Bridge in the Philly Voice.
