Traffic Shift Planned For New Hope-Lambertville Bridge

The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission on Wednesday announced plans to shift traffic on the New Hope-Lambertville Toll-Supported Bridge as soon as Friday

The change comes as ongoing rehabilitation work moves to the next phase.

The bridge will remain open for Pennsylvania-bound traffic, while New Jersey-bound vehicles will need to use the New Hope-Lambertville (Route 202) Toll Bridge.

The shift will allow work crews to progress on the structure’s downstream side, the commission said.

Currently, crews are re-installing guide rails on the bridge’s upstream side in preparation for the new travel pattern.

Commission officials assured that the “traffic shift itself will be a quick exercise.”

“Work crews only need to move traffic-routing markers at the bridge’s Lambertville and New Hope approaches and on the structure’s roadway deck.  The current uninterrupted detour of New Jersey-bound traffic will remain in effect with barricades and detour signage unchanged at the intersection of Bridge and Main streets in New Hope,” according to a statement.

Below is more from the commission:

Timing

Ideally, work currently underway on the bridge’s upstream side will reach completion by mid-day Friday, allowing the Pennsylvania-bound traffic shift to be executed sometime between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.  If upstream work is not completed before the evening commuting period, then the travel shift would be undertaken at some point after 6 p.m.

Next Steps

The traffic shift will allow the rehabilitation project contractor to prepare the bridge for the next stage of work activities. A primary set-up task will be the installation of a temporary six-foot-wide walkway on a portion of the bridge’s downstream travel lane. Plans call for installation of temporary barriers to protect the temporary walkway’s users from Pennsylvania-bound vehicles in the upstream travel lane.

Once the temporary walkway is installed, the contractor can then remove the current end-of-its-service-life and slip-prone walkway and railing. Painting containment measures for the next work stage also will be installed. As was the case with the prior construction, work is expected to progress from the bridge’s New Hope side toward Lambertville over the next three months.

The bridge’s current walkway will remain open through the July 4 holiday.

The commission anticipates announcing a walkway closure date next week, along with the opening date for a temporary walkway and the start of a temporary free courtesy shuttle service between New Hope Borough and the City of Lambertville.

The bridge project got underway in late January.

The bridge rehabilitation effort focuses on several key aspects of the bridge’s structure and aesthetics. It includes replacing the fiberglass panels of the walkway, cleaning and repainting the steel-truss superstructure, and repairing or replacing any deteriorated steel components. Additionally, the project will upgrade both roadway and walkway lighting to energy-efficient LED lights, which will feature a programmable, color-changing LED lighting system designed to highlight the bridge’s Pratt-truss architectural profile.

The project encompasses updating the electrical wiring and connections and enhancing the bridge’s security measures with the addition of new walkway cameras.