EWING, NJ – The final concrete pours for the Scudder Falls (I-295) Bridge’s parallel downstream span’s road deck are scheduled to take place during the early portion of next week, the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission announced today.
If the current schedule holds, the last significant concrete pours for the second bridge would take place Monday night into Tuesday, and Tuesday night into Wednesday. The right NJ-bound lane at the Scudder Falls Bridge will be closed to allow construction crews to carry out the work, leaving a single-lane open on the bridge for travel from Pennsylvania into New Jersey.
Bucks County residents commuting to job locations in New Jersey or the Trenton-Mercer Airport could encounter backups and delays 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 29, and Wednesday, June 30. Rain forecasts could force changes in this schedule.
When concrete pours do occur, two-mile-long backups with corresponding travel delays of more than 30 minutes are possible on I-295 eastbound approaching the bridge from Bucks County, PA. during peak morning commuting hours.
Also next week, two overnight travel restrictions are scheduled to allow for highway lighting work and improvements in the vicinity of the I-295/Route 29 interchange on the New Jersey side of the bridge. In both cases, detours will be posted for motorists to follow.
The full schedule of anticipated Scudder Falls Bridge Replacement Project travel restrictions for the week of June 27 follows:
New Jersey side
- NJ Route 29 NB Bypass – OVERNIGHT CLOSURE 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 30, to 6 a.m. Thursday, July 1. DETOUR: NJ Route 29 NB motorists approaching the interchange from Trenton and other points south should follow detour signs through the interchange’s roundabouts to reconnect with Route 29 NB for travel toward Washington Crossing, Lambertville, and other points north.
- NJ Route 29 Entry Ramp to I-295 SB – OVERNIGHT CLOSURE 8 p.m. Thursday, July 1, to 6 a.m. Friday, July 2. DETOURS: Motorists should follow temporary signage for I-295 South and proceed to the intersection of Route 29 and West Upper Ferry Road/NJ Route 175/CR-634. Route 29 NB motorists should turn right at this signaled intersection before reaching the I-295 interchange. Route 29 SB motorists should turn left at this signaled intersection after passing through the I-295 interchange’s roundabouts and connector ramps. Follow West Upper Ferry Road/CR-634 east to the first traffic signal at Bear Tavern Road/Grand Avenue. Turn left onto Bear Tavern Road/CR-579 and proceed north to I-295 and use the access ramp on the right to enter onto Route 295 SB for travel toward Princeton and South Jersey.
- NJ Route 175/Upper River Road in the vicinity of the I-295 overpass – Potential flagging/short-term stoppages 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, June 28, to Thursday, July 1.
- I-295 NB (PA-Bound) – Intermittent off-peak single-lane pattern extending onto the new completed upstream span of the Scudder Falls Toll Bridge 7 p.m. to 2 p.m. (next day) Monday, June 28, to Wednesday, June 30; and 7 p.m. Thursday, July 1, to 6 a.m. Friday, July 2.
- I-295 SB – Intermittent off-peak single-lane pattern permitted 10 a.m. to 6 a.m. (next day) Monday, June 28 through Thursday, July 1.
- Route 29 NB – Potential short-term stoppages and flagging 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, June 28, to Thursday, July 1.
- Route 29 SB Bypass Lane – Continuing 24/7 closure with traffic shifted through the adjoining I-295/Route 29 interchange’s connector ramps and roundabouts for travel toward Trenton or onto I-295.
- Route 29 connector lanes between roundabouts — Periodic traffic stoppages controlled by flaggers may be necessary in the detour area Monday, June 28, through Thursday, July 1.
- NJ Route 175/Upper River Road entry ramp to I-295 SB – 24/7 closure continuing through spring 2021. DETOUR: Use the southern roundabout at the nearby I-295/Route 29 interchange to access the on-ramp for I-295 SB.
Pennsylvania side
- I-295 EB and the Scudder Falls Toll Bridge (NJ-bound) – Single-lane travel (one of two lanes closed) possible Monday to Thursday.
- I-295 WB (PA-Bound) west of the Scudder Falls Toll Bridge – Intermittent off-peak single-lane pattern permitted west of the bridge 7 p.m. to 2 p.m. (next day) Monday, June 28, through Wednesday, June 30; and 7 p.m. Thursday, July 1, to 6 a.m. Friday, July 2.
- Taylorsville Road north of I-295 – Intermittent single-lane patterns with possible flagger-controlled travel 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, June 28, to Thursday, July 1.
- Taylorsville Road south of I-295 – Intermittent single-lane patterns with possible flagger-controlled travel 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, June 28, to Thursday, July 1.
- River Road/PA Route 32 – Brief traffic stoppages possible in the vicinity of where River Road/PA Route 32 crosses beneath the Scudder Falls (I-295) Toll Bridge, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, June 28, to Thursday, July 1.
The aforementioned scheduled travel restrictions are subject to change due to weather, emergencies, traffic, and equipment/materials mobilization. Motorists are urged to allow extra time to reach their destinations, reduce speeds and exercise caution when travelling through project work areas.
Weekends
- A single-lane closure is now scheduled in the NJ-bound direction on the Scudder Falls Bridge (I-295 EB from Pennsylvania side) for a concrete pour that is expected begin during overnight hours Friday, June 25, and continue into Saturday morning, June 26. Aside from this closure and the blocked NJ Route 29 bypass lane beneath the Scudder Falls Toll Bridge in New Jersey, no other project-related lane closures are scheduled for June 26-27.
- Independence Day Holiday Weekend – A moratorium on short-term project-related travel restrictions will be in effect from 6 a.m. Friday, July 2, to noon Tuesday, July 6.
Delaware Canal Towpath (PA side) – Intermittent towpath closures are possible during weekday daytime hours during July.
Delaware & Raritan Canal Towpath (NJ side) – Daily closure/stoppages are possible 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through July. These restrictions – when implemented – will allow for construction of a connecting path and access ramp to the shared-use bike-ped facility that is expected to open on the new Scudder Falls Toll Bridge late-summer/early-fall 2021. Canal path open on weekends.
More information on the Scudder Falls Bridge Replacement Project is available at www.scudderfallsbridge.com.
