Turnpike Bridge To Be Closed For At Least Two Weeks

The Delaware River Bridge that connects the Pennsylvania and New Jersey turnpikes will be closed for at least the next two weeks.

Crews were working Friday and Saturday to stabilize the 1.2-mile-long span that crosses the 680-foot-wide Delaware River and connects Bristol Township to Burlington Township, New Jersey.

The stabilization work is expected to be finished this weekend. The repair project involves adding new plates to reconnect the fractured truss piece to prevent further movement of the bridge that carries 42,000 vehicles per day.

During the two week closure, a “comprehensive bridge analysis will be performed to better understand the global impact the fracture has had on the entire bridge; information gathered is critical to determine the scope of and strategy for a permanent repair and reopening the bridge to traffic. The bridge will be under constant watch and monitored around the clock utilizing a high-definition video survey,” a press release from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission said.

Once the assessment is complete, engineers from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which co-owns the bridge, will have a better estimate of how many days or weeks the bridge will need to be closed while the permanent fix is made, officials said.

“Due to the significant fracture, stresses have been redistributed to other parts of the bridge,” explained Pennsylvania Turnpike Chief Engineer Brad Heigel. “We regret the inconvenience of closing the bridge, however, it is necessary to properly evaluate the bridge’s current condition and determine next steps to ensure the safety to our customers.”

Officials said the fractured steel truss sits under the road surface of the westbound right lane.

A sample of the fractured truss was removed from the bridge and taken for forensic analysis to help determine the cause of the fracture.

“This was a unique and complete fracture which may have happened quickly due to changing weather conditions,” Pennsylvania Turnpike Chairman Sean Logan said. “We are stabilizing the bridge now to prevent further movement. However, out of an abundance of caution and to protect traveler safety, the bridge must remain closed until a full-scale analysis and repair plan have been completed.”

Officials explained Saturday how the fractured truss was discovered. They said a New Jersey Turnpike Authority engineer inspecting work by bridge painting contractors noticed the damage Friday afternoon.

Also on Saturday, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission released a new detour route for travelers: Exit at the Bensalem Interchange 351 in Bucks County. Follow Route 1 north to I-95 north, to I-295, south, to I-195 east. Take Exit 6 on I-195 and reenter the NJ Turnpike.