Structurally-Deficient Tyburn Road Bridge to be Replaced

From PennDOT:

Crews began construction Monday on a $14.9 million project to rehabilitate the structurally-deficient Tyburn Road Bridge over Amtrak rail lines in Falls Township. Construction is expected to finish in October 2014.

“The rehabilitation and improvement of this Tyburn Road Bridge will benefit the local community for decades to come by providing restriction-free travel on this key corridor that serves as a direct connection between Route 13 and the local industrial parks,” PennDOT District Executive Lester C. Toaso said.

Travel across the Tyburn Road Bridge, which was built in 1955, has been restricted to one-lane in each direction since July 6, 2011 due to its poor structural condition.

PennDOT’s contractor will work the next year-and-a-half to restore the steel-I beam bridge by removing and replacing the bridge deck and 10 beams; stabilizing the embankments; and paving the roadway approaches.

The four-span structure dates back to 1955. It is 68 feet wide and 291 feet long. The bridge carries 9,184 vehicles a day. When finished the bridge will have four 12-foot travel lanes and two 6-foot shoulders

The contractor will rebuild the bridge in multiple phases, which will result in the closure of additional access ramps along Tyburn Road, and the closure of Tyburn Road between New Ford Road and Pennsylvania Avenue. These closures are expected to occur from May 2013 through May 2014.

In stage one, westbound Tyburn Road will be reduced to one lane between Pennsylvania Avenue and Old Tyburn Road and eastbound Tyburn Road will be reduced to one lane between Newbold Road and Old Bristol Road.

The work in this stage will take place from March 11 through April.

In addition, the eastbound Tyburn Road ramp to northbound Old Bristol Pike will be closed and detoured starting in May. A posted detour will take motorists over Route 13, Route 1 and Pennsylvania Avenue.

In May, when stage two is expected to begin, all traffic will be shifted to the north side (westbound Lanes) of Tyburn Road with one lane of travel in each direction between Old Tyburn Road and New Ford Mill Road.

Tyburn Road will also be closed and detoured between New Ford Mill Road and Pennsylvania Avenue. The on and off ramps at Pennsylvania Avenue will be closed during this stage as will the eastbound Tyburn Road off ramp onto northbound Old Bristol Pike. There will be intermittent short-term closures of the northbound Old Bristol Pike ramp to eastbound Tyburn Road and the southbound Old Bristol Pike ramp to eastbound Tyburn Road to facilitate the reconstruction of the eastbound pavement at these ramps.

Stage two is expected to last from May through January 2014.

In stage three, traffic will be shifted to the south side (eastbound Lanes) of Tyburn Road between Pennsylvania Avenue and Old Bristol Pike. Only short-term ramp closures are anticipated on the following ramps:

•  Westbound Tyburn Road ramp to northbound Old Bristol Pike
• Southbound Old Bristol Pike ramp to westbound Tyburn Road
• Westbound Tyburn Road ramp to northbound Newbold Road
• Southbound Newbold Road ramp to westbound Tyburn Road

The work in this three will take place from January 2014 through July 2014.

Finally in stage four, one lane of eastbound and westbound Tyburn Road traffic will be shifted to the right lane in each direction, so crews can rebuild the median. No detours or ramp closures are anticipated.

Stage four work will last from July 2014 through October 2014.

HRI Inc. of State College, Pa. is the general contractor on the $14,916,363 project, which is financed with 100 percent state funds. The project is expected to finish in mid-October 2014.

Prior to this improvement project, PennDOT invested $12.4 million in 2010 and 2011 to rehabilitate and restore the Tyburn Road bridges over Newbold Road, Old Tybburn Road, Warner Company Road, Conrail and Pennsylvania Avenue in Falls Township.