Construction Begins Tomorrow on Sellers Avenue Pedestrian Bridge

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that construction will begin tomorrow, November 27, to relocate the temporary pedestrian bridge over Amtrak in Ridley Park Borough, Delaware County, under a project to replace the Sellers Avenue bridge superstructure.

The public is advised of anticipated periodic pedestrian bridge closures between 7:00 AM and 3:00 PM on Wednesday, November 27, Monday, December 2, Wednesday, December 4, and Thursday, December 5, for preparation work.

During the closure, pedestrians will be directed to use Ridley Avenue and Swarthmore Avenue. All scheduled activities are weather dependent.

Once prep work is completed, pedestrians are advised of the following restriction:

·        Thursday, December 12, though Friday, December 20, the current temporary pedestrian bridge will be closed 24/7 while the new temporary pedestrian bridge is constructed south of the existing structure.

The temporary pedestrian bridge was constructed in fall 2023 over the existing Sellers Avenue bridge to allow pedestrians to safely cross the railroad tracks during the project. Due to construction activities, the current temporary pedestrian bridge needs to be relocated.

The purpose of the project is to ensure a safe and efficient crossing over the Sellers Avenue bridge for all modes of transportation, as the bridge connects downtown Ridley Park Borough with the residential communities.

Under this project, PennDOT’s contractor will remove and replace the Sellers Avenue bridge superstructure with a 75-foot-long concrete box beam bridge with two 12-foot travel lanes and sidewalks on both sides. New concrete material will be placed behind the existing stone masonry abutments to increase stability. 

In addition, the roadway profile is expected to be raised between three and four feet and the catenary system used to supply electricity to the railway system, which is currently attached to the bridge, will be rerouted along with railroad signals.

Improvements will also occur on the approach roadways to the bridge including East Ridley Avenue, Sellers Avenue, and Hinkley Avenue. Construction includes milling and resurfacing, stormwater management, and ADA curb installation.

Modernized traffic signals and emergency vehicle preemption (EVP) equipment will be installed at the Sellers Avenue and Swarthmore Avenue Intersection. EVP equipment, which provides a green light for emergency vehicles while motorists are stopped at a red light, will also be installed at the East Ridley Avenue and Swarthmore Avenue Intersection. 

Built in 1904, and reconstructed in 1952, the bridge was closed in July 2022 due to structural deterioration discovered during a bridge inspection. Prior to closing, the bridge carried approximately 3,404 vehicles a day. 

Road-Con, Inc. of West Chester, PA, is the general contractor on this $9.8 million project financed with 100 percent federal funds. 

For more information, visit the Sellers Avenue Bridge Improvement Project webpage.

Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts.

For a complete list of construction projects impacting state-owned highways in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties, visit the District 6 Traffic Bulletin.

Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District6.

Information about infrastructure in District 6, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.pa.gov/D6Results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.

 If you have additional questions on this project, please visit 

Sellers Avenue Bridge over AMTRAK Reconstruction Project | Department of Transportation | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 

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