NEW HOPE, PA – Monday’s scheduled four-hour closure of the New Hope-Lambertville Toll-Supported Bridge to all vehicular traffic remains on track, the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission announced today.
Commission engineers and consultants are monitoring weather resources that currently predict snowfall totals of 1 to 3 inches occurring while the bridge’s road deck is taken out of service for tensioning of a temporary ‘friction collar” stabilization device on a compromised bridge span between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday, January 6.
The custom-made device was installed on the bridge in late November, allowing the bridge’s new walkway to open and the bridge’s road deck to handle Pennsylvania-bound traffic shifts.
During Monday’s vehicular closure period, engineers are expected to incrementally tension the friction collar and monitor electronic sensors called strain gauges attached to various bridge structural components. Once the device is fully tensioned, engineers will monitor the strain gauges for another week to ensure the structure’s stability.
Motorists should plan ahead to use alternate river crossings while the bridge’s road deck is closed to traffic on Monday.
Alternate Vehicular Routes During Temporary Bridge Closure
As has been the case for the past 10 months, New Jersey-bound motorists will be detoured a mile north to the New Hope-Lambertville (Route 202) Toll Bridge, which does not have a toll in the New Jersey-bound direction.
Pennsylvania-bound motorists have three options:
- The closest alternate river crossing is the New Hope-Lambertville (Route 202) Toll Bridge, one mile north. This is tolled in the PA-bound direction. The Class 1 toll for personal vehicles (motorcycles, cars, pickups, vans, and SUVs up to 8-feet high with two axles) is $1.50 for E-ZPass and $3 for TOLL BY PLATE (an invoice sent in the mail to the vehicle’s registered owner).
- The closest non-toll option is the Centre Bridge-Stockton Bridge, 3.3 miles north.
- Downriver, the closest option is the Washington Crossing Bridge (narrow) 6.9 miles south.
Pedestrian Walkway Status
Pedestrian crossings will be allowed on Monday, but pedestrians will be subjected to stoppages and controlled escorts. Pedestrian volumes are low during Januarys, even during daytime hours.
Next Steps
If all goes according to plan the fully tensioned and monitored friction collar will enable work crews to permanently repair the bridge during a previously announced uninterrupted full bridge shutdown to vehicles and pedestrians between January 13 and 27. The repair involves a 4-inch-diameter, 18-inch-long steel pin that supports a critical joint of 11 structural steel members. The 120-year-old pin has rusted and worn to the point where it poses a potential risk for failure under heavy load.
This would mark the first time that a such pin replacement has been performed on the steel truss bridge between New Hope and Lambertville. It also would mark the first time that such a repair procedure has been executed at any of the Commission’s bridges.