SCUDDER FALLS (I-295) BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT TRAVEL ADVISORY – Week of August 15
LOWER MAKEFIELD, PA – Weather permitting, the Scudder Falls Bridge Replacement Project’s next major milestone is expected to occur this week as a series of five-week-long I-295 exit/entry ramp closures are lifted and the new bridge’s second parallel span gets put into service.
If the current schedule holds, the bridge’s downstream span and the exit and entry ramps that have been closed since July 12 near the bridge will be phased into service to New Jersey-bound I-295 traffic during overnight hours between late Tuesday, Aug. 17 and early Wednesday, Aug. 18.
The transition process to establish the new travel pattern is tentatively scheduled to begin early Tuesday morning on the New Jersey side of the bridge and then progress through the day and night to the Pennsylvania side. I-295 EB in Pennsylvania and I-295 SB in New Jersey will be restricted to a single lane during off-peak hours – 9 a.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday – to allow for this work.
When the transition is completed, a new temporary travel pattern will be established with traffic shifted to the outside lanes through the 4.4-mile-long project area in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The upstream bridge span completed in July 2019 will carry two lanes of thru-traffic in the Pennsylvania-bound direction and an additional auxiliary lane for traffic entering from the Route 29 interchange in New Jersey. The downstream span will carry two lanes of thru-traffic in the New Jersey-bound direction and an additional auxiliary lane for traffic entering from the Taylorsville Road interchange in Pennsylvania. This new pattern will allow for execution of the project’s third construction stage over the next four months; the goal is to complete final paving and have all lanes and ramps open before the winter holidays in late December. Some lane and ramp closures will be needed to complete remaining project tasks during this timeframe.
The full schedule of anticipated Scudder Falls Bridge Replacement Project travel restrictions for the week of August 15 is as follows:
Pennsylvania side
- REOPENING — I-295 EB off-ramp to Taylorsville Road (Exit 10) – 24/7 closure with posted detour tentatively ending during overnight hours Tuesday, Aug. 17, to Wednesday, Aug. 18. DETOUR: Exit I-295 EB at the PA Route 332/Yardley-Newtown Road interchange (Exit 8); follow detour signs for “Taylorsville Road” by proceeding eastbound on PA Route 332/Yardley-Newtown Road toward Yardley, where Route 332 become West Afton Ave. before intersecting with Main Street (traffic light) in Yardley’s business center. Make a left and proceed onto North Main Street, which becomes Taylorsville Road outside of Yardley. (See accompanying detour map.)
- REOPENING — On-ramp for I-295 and the Scudder Falls Toll Bridge NJ-bound from Taylorsville Road SB – 24/7 closure with posted detour tentatively ending during overnight hours Tuesday, Aug. 17, to Wednesday, Aug. 18. DETOUR: From the I-295/Taylorsville Road interchange, follow detour signs for “I-295 SB;” take the nearby entry ramp for I-295 WB toward Newtown and Philadelphia, proceed to the Route 332/Yardley-Newtown interchange (Exit 8), make a left at the top of the exit ramp, cross over I-295, immediately bear right onto the entry ramp for I-295 EB, and proceed back toward the Scudder Falls Toll Bridge where I-295 EB becomes I-295 SB upon crossing into New Jersey. (See accompanying detour map.)
- REOPENING — On-ramp for I-295 and the Scudder Falls Toll Bridge NJ-bound from Taylorsville Road NB – 24/7 closure with posted detour tentatively ending during overnight hours Tuesday, Aug. 17, to Wednesday, Aug. 18. DETOUR FROM YARDLEY COMMERCIAL DISTRICT: Follow detour signs for I-295 SB from East Main Street; proceed onto West Afton Avenue (PA Route 332), bear right at intersection with Yardley-Newtown Road (PA Route 332), proceed to the interchange with I-295 EB, bear right onto ramp for I-295 EB toward the Scudder Falls Tolls Bridge where I-295 EB becomes I-295 SB upon crossing into New Jersey. (See accompanying detour map.)
- I-295 EB and the Scudder Falls Toll Bridge (NJ-bound) – Off-peak single-lane travel (one of two lanes closed) 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 16, to 6 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 17; 9 a.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 18; and 10 a.m. to 6 a.m. (next day) Wednesday, Aug. 18, through Friday, Aug. 20.
- 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, Aug. 16, through Friday, Aug. 20.
- Taylorsville Road north of I-295 – Intermittent single-lane patterns with possible flagger-controlled travel 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16, to Friday, Aug. 20.
- Taylorsville Road south of I-295 – Intermittent single-lane patterns with possible flagger-controlled travel 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16, to Friday, Aug. 20.
- 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, August 16, to Friday, August 20.
New Jersey side
- REOPENING — I-295 SB off-ramp to Route 29 immediately after crossing the Scudder Falls Toll Bridge into New Jersey (first NJ exit) – 24/7 closure with posted detour tentatively ending during overnight hours Tuesday, Aug. 17, to Wednesday, Aug. 18. DETOUR: Upon crossing the Scudder Falls Toll Bridge from Pennsylvania into New Jersey, follow detour signs for Route 29, continue on I-295 SB to the I-295/Scotch Road interchange, proceed to exit 73A, bear right onto loop ramp, cross I-295, immediately take the loop ramp for I-295 NB, proceed back toward the Scudder Falls Toll Bridge, and take the last New Jersey exit for Route 29. (See accompanying detour map)
- NEW – Route 29 on-ramp to I-295 SB (Princeton and points south) – Tentative closure and detour for new travel pattern transition work 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 17. Detours for Route 29 NB and SB traffic: Proceed to the intersection of Route 29 and West Upper Ferry Road/NJ Route 175/CR-634 which is controlled by a traffic signal; northbound traffic encounters the intersection before the I-295/Route 29 interchange and should turn right and southbound traffic reaches the intersection after the I-295/Route 29 interchange and should turn left from the left-hand deceleration lane on the green signal; proceed on West Upper Ferry Road/CR-634 to the intersection (traffic signal) of Bear Tavern Road/CR-579; turn left and proceed north on Bear Tavern Road/CR-579 and the on-ramp for I-295 SB.
- NEW — NJ Route 175/Upper River Road in the vicinity of the I-295 overpass – Closure with posted detour to nearby Route 29, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16, to Friday, Aug. 20; flagging and/or short-term stoppages are possible during weeknight hours.
- I-295 SB – Off-peak single-lane travel (one of two lanes closed) 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 16, to 6 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 17; 9 a.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 18; and 10 a.m. to 6 a.m. (next day) Wednesday, Aug. 18, through Friday, Aug. 20.
- I-295 NB (PA-Bound) – Intermittent off-peak single-lane pattern extending onto the new completed upstream span of the Scudder Falls Toll Bridge 6 p.m. to 2 p.m. (next day) Monday, Aug. 16, to Friday, Aug. 20.
- 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 NB Bypass at I-295/Route 29 interchange – Potential flagging and short-term stoppages 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16, to Friday, Aug. 20.
- NJ Route 175/Upper River Road entry ramp to I-295 SB – 24/7 closure continuing until early November. DETOUR: Use the southern roundabout at the nearby I-295/Route 29 interchange to access the on-ramp for I-295 SB.
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
Aside from 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 August 14-15 and 21-22.
Delaware Canal Towpath (PA side) – Intermittent towpath closures are possible during weekday daytime hours through August.
Delaware & Raritan Canal Towpath (NJ side) – Daily closure/stoppages are possible 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through August. 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.
