Photo courtesy of Pennsylvania Turnpike
Big Beaver Boulevard (SR-0018) reconstruction has begun. The Turnpike’s online project page notes that construction is still expected to be fully completed in September 2027 on the $294 million multiphase project.
Folks who drive near the Beaver River Bridge Replacement Project are beginning to notice that construction of the new span in Beaver County, Pa., is now under way.
Pennsylvania Turnpike officials noted Jan. 30 that the contractor is currently drilling shafts and building new abutment footings, pier footings and columns. Additionally, earthwork and drainage work continue to allow for the wider road and the new interchange ramps being constructed.
Accordingly, Turnpike travel lanes have been shifted southward to accommodate the new bridge and roadway construction, located in far western Pennsylvania.
In addition, a temporary ramp configuration has been established since November that impacts eastbound traffic going on and off the Pa. Turnpike/Interstate 76 and Pa. Highway 18/Big Beaver Boulevard to allow for the construction of a new interchange system.
Meanwhile, Big Beaver Boulevard reconstruction also has gotten under way. Traffic is currently using one lane in each direction on the southbound side of the roadway, with northbound traffic utilizing a cross-over.
On the east side of the Beaver River, River Road will be reduced intermittently to a single lane controlled by flaggers to allow for access to the construction site. Nearby, Thompson Run Road has been closed since last July, with a short detour posted until it reopens this summer.
The Turnpike's online project page notes that construction is still expected to be fully completed in September 2027 on the $294 million multiphase project.
It involves the total reconstruction and widening of 2 mi. of the Turnpike's east-west mainline, between Mileposts 12 and 14, nearest the I-76/Exit 13 Beaver Valley interchange, leading south to Beaver Falls and north to Ellwood City.
Turnpike Bridge Project Near Philadelphia Advances
On the opposite end of the state, a project to build a new Pennsylvania Turnpike bridge over the Neshaminy Creek and Newportville Road on the northeast end of Philadelphia is moving forward, LevittownNow.com reported Jan. 29.
Designated by the Pa. Turnpike Commission as its "D30" corridor, the planned bridge replacement in Bristol Township and Bensalem Township is part of a larger project to widen and reconstruct the toll road from Bensalem Boulevard to the Interstate 95 flyover connection.
The state commission said the stretch is being expanded from a four-lane to a six-lane divided highway and will add infrastructure for future connection ramps to highways, erect new sections of sound walls and install stormwater management facilities.
It is all part of the Turnpike's $1 billion modernization of the decades-old highway system in Lower Bucks County.
The commission said the Notice to Proceed for the start of the construction came last fall. With a 3-year project duration, the estimated completion is the end of 2026.
Recently, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Turnpike Commission announced a planned road closure ahead of the new bridge project.
From Feb. 12 through 16, Newportville Road will be closed daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. between Zimmerman Lane and New Falls Road. During those hours, traffic will be redirected to Zimmerman Lane and New Falls Road as alternative routes.
PennDOT advises motorists to allow additional travel time when passing near the construction area due to anticipated delays.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike/I-95 Interchange Project now directly connects the two major highways. One of the goals of the effort is to reduce congestion on local Bucks County roadways as well as improve the flow of traffic in the Philadelphia region and along the entire East Coast.
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