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News Release

Scudder Falls Bridge Replacement Project Travel Advisory for Week of July 7

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Single-Lane on I-295 NB in NJ Early Next Week; New Bridge to Open Wednesday, Tolling to Start Following Sunday

Fourth of July Lane Closure Moratorium to End Early Monday

EWING, NJ – The first week of a five-week-long transitional period to open the new Scudder Falls Toll Bridge’s first completed span and bring both directions of I-295 into a new temporary alignment on both sides of the Delaware River will get underway on Monday, the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission announced today.

As previously announced, I-295 NB (PA-bound) in New Jersey will be reduced to a single lane (one travel lane instead of three lanes) for an uninterrupted “high-intensity construction cycle” in the vicinity of the CR-579/Bear Tavern Road interchange (exit 75) in New Jersey starting around 5 a.m. Monday, July 8, and continuing until 2 p.m. Thursday, July 11. During the evening peak-period commuting times – 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday – affected motorists are advised to use the Trenton-Morrisville (Route 1) Toll Bridge as an alternate travel route.

During this period, construction crews will work to construct crossovers transitions from the current I-295 NB roadway onto the newly constructed I-295 approach segment to the soon-to-open Scudder Falls Toll Bridge’s first completed span.

The new bridge is expected to open to two-lanes of PA-bound traffic sometime early Wednesday, July 10. NJ-bound traffic on I-295 will remain on the old Scudder Falls Bridge for another two weeks. Also on July 10, the interchange ramps that have been closed 24/7 on both sides of the bridge during recent weeks will reopen to traffic.

PA-bound I-295 motorists will be able to use the new bridge free-of-charge for the first four days it is in operation. But at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, July 14, the new bridge’s all-electronic tolling system will go into service, assessing tolls upon vehicles traveling at highway speeds off the bridge into Pennsylvania. Motorists should not stop while traveling through the new tolling point. No cash will be accepted; there are no toll booths. Vehicles outfitted with operational E-ZPass transponders will be charged lower rates. Meanwhile, non-E-ZPass-equipped vehicles will have their license plates recorded and the owners will be sent TOLL BY PLATE invoices through the U.S. Mail. TOLL BY PLATE motorists will be charged higher toll rates. The full toll rate schedule for the new bridge is available at: http://www.drjtbc.org/travel-info/scudder-falls-toll-bridge-rates/

The list of Scudder Falls Bridge Replacement Project travel restrictions for the week of July 7 is as follows:

New Jersey side

  • I-295 NB (PA-Bound) in the Vicinity of the CR-579/Bear Tavern Road Interchange (Exit 75) – Restricted to an uninterrupted single-lane pattern (two of three lanes closed) starting 5 a.m. Monday, July 8, and continuing to 2 p.m. Thursday, July 11. Severe traffic congestion periods will be 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, July 8; Tuesday, July 9; and Wednesday, July 10. Pennsylvania-bound evening-peak-commuting-period motorists are advised to use the Trenton-Morrisville (Route 1) Toll Bridge as a travel alternative on these dates.
  • CR-579/Bear Tavern Road SB Entry Ramp to I-295 NB – OVERNIGHT closure 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. (next day) Monday, July 8, to Wednesday, July 10. Posted detour – Follow detour signs for I-295 NB; take I-295 SB to the Scotch Road Interchange and use the exit ramp marked Exit 73-A to make a U-turn onto I-295 NB for travel toward the Scudder Falls Bridge and Pennsylvania. See Pink Map.
  • I-295 NB Exit Ramp to CR-579/Bear Tavern Road NB — OVERNIGHT closure 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. (next day) Wednesday, July 10. Posted detour – Use reopened Route 29 interchange to make U-turn onto I-295 SB and that roadway’s exit for CR-579/Bear Tavern Road.
    • I-295 NB Traffic Shift – Traffic along I-295 NB in New Jersey is expected to be shifted into a new temporary alignment for PA-bound travel across the new Scudder Falls Toll Bridge’s first completed span sometime early Wednesday, July 10. Tolling is scheduled to begin in the Pennsylvania-bound direction on the new bridge 12:01 a.m. Sunday, July 14.
  • I-295 SB between the Bridge and the CR-579/ Bear Tavern Road – Intermittent off-peak lane closures if needed for construction (two of three lanes open) 10 a.m. to 6 a.m. (next day) Monday, July 8, through Friday, July 12.
  • I-295/Route 29 Interchange (Exit 76) – The following 24/7 closures and detours are expected to end with the opening of the new bridge early Wednesday, July 10:
    • I-295 EB/SB Exit Ramp to Route 29 NB (first exit in NJ after crossing Scudder Falls Bridge from Pennsylvania) – Continue along I-295 SB to Exit 73A (Scotch Road North), use the exit’s loop ramps to make a U-turn onto I-295 NB for return to the Route 29 interchange (Exit 76) and the ramp to Route 29 NB. See second ORANGE MAP at end of release
  • Route 29 SB & NB entry ramps to I-295 NB/WB and PA-bound travel on the Scudder Falls Bridge –Proceed into the downstream roundabout and use the ramp for I-295 SB, follow to Exit 73A (Scotch Road North), use the exit’s loop ramps to make a U-turn onto I-295 NB and travel across the bridge to I-295 WB in Pennsylvania. – See BLUE MAP
    • I-295 NB exit ramp to Route 29 SB (at last exit in NJ) – Proceed across the Scudder Falls Bridge for a U-turn at the Taylorsville Road interchange (Exit 10) in PA, take I-295 SB across the bridge for connection with Route 29 SB via the first NJ exit ramp and the downstream roundabout. See GREEN MAP

Pennsylvania side

  • Taylorsville Road Access Ramp to I-295 WB (old I-95 SB) – This six-week ramp closure will end with the opening of the new bridge sometime early Wednesday, July 10. Current posted detour: Proceed to the on-ramp for I-295 South toward New Jersey, cross the Scudder Falls Bridge and continue on I-295 South to the Scotch Road interchange (Exit 73A), use the loop ramps to cross over I-295 and enter I-295 North back toward the bridge, and cross the Scudder Falls Bridge into Pennsylvania where the highway designation changes to I-295 West toward Philadelphia. See PURPLE MAP
  • I-295 WB from the bridge to the Route 332/Newtown-Yardley Road interchange (Exit 8) – Off-peak intermittent single-lane travel – if needed for construction – 7 p.m. to 2 p.m. (next day) Monday, July 8, to Friday, July 12.
  • I-295 EB/SB approaching the Scudder Falls Bridge – Off-peak intermittent single-lane travel – if needed for construction – 10 a.m. to 6 a.m. (next day) Monday, July 8, through Friday, July 12.
  • Scudder Falls Bridge NJ-Bound – The current Scudder Falls Bridge will carry only New Jersey-bound traffic starting sometime early Wednesday, July 10. This traffic will be restricted to the same two lanes as currently configured.       This will remain in effect until July 24, when I-295 New Jersey-bound traffic is expected to be shifted on to the new Scudder Falls Toll Bridge’s first completed span.
  • Taylorsville Road north of I-295 – Intermittent single-lane patterns with possible flagger-controlled travel 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, July 8, to Friday, July 12.
  • Taylorsville Road south of I-295 – Intermittent single-lane patterns with possible flagger-controlled travel 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, July 8, to Friday, July 12.
  • Woodside Road – Intermittent right or left lane closures with passage maintained in each direction and/or flagging-controlled travel 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, July 8, to Friday, July 12.
  • PA Route 32/River Road – Intermittent alternating traffic controlled by flaggers 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, July 8, to Friday, July 12.

Weekends

Aside from the current 24/7 ramp closures at the I-295/Route 29 interchange (Exit 76) and the I-295/Taylorsville Road interchange (Exit 10) in Pennsylvania, all project related lane and ramp closures will be suspended for the Fourth of July travel weekend, starting at 6 a.m. Wednesday, July 3, and remaining in effect until 5 a.m. Monday, July 8. No weekend lane or ramp closures are scheduled currently for the weekend of July 13-14.

Canal Towpath Closures near I-295 and the Scudder Falls Bridge

Pennsylvania – Intermittent closures of the Delaware Canal towpath may be implemented on weekdays through the month of July.

New Jersey – Intermittent closures of the Delaware & Raritan Canal towpath may be necessary on some weekdays during the month of July.

The aforementioned scheduled travel restrictions are subject to change due to weather, emergency, traffic, and equipment/materials mobilization considerations. Motorists are urged to allow extra time to reach their destinations, reduce speeds and exercise caution when travelling through project work areas.

More information on the Scudder Falls Bridge Replacement Project is available at www.scudderfallsbridge.com.

Overnight Detour of CR-579/Bear Tavern Rd. On-Ramp to I-295NB (PINK)

Taylorsville Road On-Ramp to I-295 West Detour (PURPLE) – Ends 7/10

Detour for I-295 EB/SB Access Ramp to NJ Rte. 29 NB (ORANGE) – Ends 7/10

Detour for Rte. 29 Ramp to I-295 WB & Scudder Falls Bridge (BLUE) – Ends 7/10

Detour for I-295 NB Access Ramp to Rte. 29 SB (GREEN) – Ends 7/10

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