NEW HOPE, PA – The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission today announced a January 13, 2025 starting date for a full two-week-long shutdown of the New Hope-Lambertville Toll-Supported Bridge.
The full bridge closure is expected to prevent all motor vehicles and pedestrians from crossing the aging structure until on or about January 27, 2025. The shutdown is needed so work crews can permanently repair a deteriorated structural connection that was discovered this summer in the bridge’s second span from the Pennsylvania side.
The upcoming full bridge closure is scheduled to occur during what are often the two coldest weeks of the year. Accordingly, crossings by motor vehicles and pedestrians are at their lowest volumes during this annual period. The full bridge closure also would occur after the winter holiday season ends.
If all goes according to plan and there are no winter-storm delays, the bridge could be reopened to vehicular crossings in both directions after the structural repair work is completed. Pedestrian crossings also could resume at that time.
The bridge has been undergoing a comprehensive rehabilitation since late January 2024, when an uninterrupted New Jersey-bound traffic detour went into effect. Pedestrians crossings have been restricted to a temporary walkway on the bridge’s roadway deck since mid-July.
It originally was anticipated that the structure could be reopened this fall, with a return of two-way traffic on the bridge’s roadway deck and pedestrians using a soon-to-be-completed new walkway facility. However, the unforeseen – but fortunate — discovery of the deteriorated structural connection has derailed the bridge rehabilitation’s schedule and the progression of construction activities.
Currently, the bridge is open to Pennsylvania-bound vehicular traffic with a temporary walkway in place to serve pedestrians. Work on a new permanent walkway on the bridge’s downstream side has progressed to the point where that facility could be opened to the public’s use within a few days. However, the walkway opening is contingent on work crews completing the installation of a “friction collar,” a device that would stabilize the bridge sufficiently for the walkway to be opened.
The Commission could announce an update on the walkway’s status as early as this Wednesday, Nov. 27.
Alternate Routes During Two-Week Shutdown
The Commission urges motorists, pedestrians, residents, and businesses to plan ahead for the two-week-long bridge shutdown in January.
In addition to the current New Jersey-bound traffic detour, the bridge will be closed to Pennsylvania-bound vehicles and pedestrians in both directions.
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 will 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.
For pedestrians, the Commission plans to provide a free shuttle service. Currently, shuttle service is provided to complement the bridge’s temporary walkway on Friday nights and Saturdays and Sundays. The service will be expanded to a daily operation, but the hours have yet to be confirmed.
The service is intended solely for bridge walkway patrons. There are two designated stops, one in New Hope and the other in Lambertville. Both stops are close to the bridge in the commercial centers of the two riverfront towns:
- New Hope loading/unloading stop: on the northbound side of North Main Street approximate to the park benches near the building that houses the PNC Bank and Starbucks Coffee.
- Lambertville loading/unloading stop: the Pennsylvania-bound side of Bridge Street in the general area of the former Black River and Western Railroad crossing and the Princeton Bank building.
A one-way trip between the two stops is approximately 12 to 15 minutes. The minibuses for this temporary courtesy service exceed the 4-ton gross vehicle weight restriction on the New Hope-Lambertville Toll-Supported Bridge, the free crossing linking the riverfront towns’ commercial centers. For this reason, the shuttle must travel across the toll bridge immediately north of New Hope and Lambertville.
