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The deteriorated deck and sidewalks of the immediately adjacent Market Street Bridge over the Schuylkill River also will be replaced and the existing four-span structure over the Schuylkill River Trail and CSX Railroad on the east side of the river will be replaced with a single-span bridge and retaining walls.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is set to begin early construction activities March 17, 2025, on its $148.9 million project to rehabilitate the bridges that carry Market Street over Amtrak and Interstate 76/Schuylkill Expressway, the Schuylkill River Trail, and the CSX Railroad in Center City Philadelphia.
Under the contract, the superstructure on the existing Market Street bridge over Amtrak and I-76/Schuylkill Expressway, at the intersection of Schuylkill Avenue West and Market Street, will be partially demolished and replaced.
The deteriorated deck and sidewalks of the immediately adjacent Market Street Bridge over the Schuylkill River also will be replaced and the existing four-span structure over the Schuylkill River Trail and CSX Railroad on the east side of the river will be replaced with a single-span bridge and retaining walls.
In a March 5, 2025, news release, PennDOT also noted that along with structural work on the bridges, Market Street's pavement will be reconfigured from Schuylkill Avenue West to 23rd Street to enhance the existing transportation network and accommodate vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic.
In addition, the new pavement will include two 10-ft.-wide travel lanes in both directions with turning lanes and wide sidewalks. A two-way bicycle lane with concrete separators will be installed and connected to the existing bicycle facilities at 23rd Street and a bike signal also will be connected at Market Street and Schuylkill Avenue West.
Other modifications and upgrades are planned for the traffic signals in the project area as well, including Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) improvements and replacement of new highway and bridge enhancement lighting and navigation lighting systems, the state agency said.
Repairs to the west and east river walls supporting the Schuylkill River banks from Market Street to south of Walnut Street are another key part of the overall project, as is fixing the pedestrian staircase between the Schuylkill River Trail and JFK Boulevard to address settlement.
The contract also includes preservation improvements to the Walnut Street Bridge over the Schuylkill River and resurfacing the roadway between 33rd and 22nd streets. A parking-separated bicycle lane will be installed on Walnut from 33rd to 22nd Street, along with modifications to traffic signals.
PennDOT added that early construction activities by the general contractor, Buckley & Company Inc., located in Philadelphia, will focus on extensive utility work to move, relocate, replace or install numerous electric, gas, water, fiber optic and other lines within the project's footprint.
Market Street motorists will encounter periodic weekday lane closures as a result of utility construction from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. through April 14, 2025, between 30th Street and Schuylkill Avenue West.
Beyond this spring, the Market Street Bridges rehabilitation and improvement project will require partial detours and staged-construction traffic patterns on Market Street and Walnut Street, including closing Market to vehicular traffic for approximately 14 months from August 2026 to October 2027 to accommodate Philadelphia visitors in town for America's 250th anniversary celebrations. Prior to that, there will be no travel restrictions in place in the project area from June 1 to Aug. 7 for the semiquincentennial events.
During the Market Street Bridge closure, several weekend street closures will be in place on the west side of the river for accelerated bridge construction over I-76/Schuylkill Expressway. The interstate will also be shut down in both directions from Arch Street to Walnut Street during these weekends.
Two lanes of traffic in each direction will be maintained daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. when the bridge reconstruction phases are under way, the transportation agency noted. Bicyclists will be directed to use the existing bicycle travel lanes on Chestnut and Walnut streets.
The construction staging on Walnut Street will be sequenced to be performed concurrently with work on Market Street and will take place largely after the latter detour is removed. One lane of westbound traffic and the bicycle lane will remain open during work on Walnut.
The entire project, according to PennDOT, is 80 percent financed by federal funds, with the remaining 20 percent provided by the state, and is expected to take approximately four years to complete.
