Commuters who travel regularly between Philadelphia and Montgomery County along City Avenue should prepare for slowdowns starting next month.
And, unlike a similar shutdown that closed a lane for several weeks earlier this year, this time traffic will be impacted for nearly two years.
Officials with PennDOT, in a statement on Tuesday, said that, starting in October — which begins on Wednesday — said City Avenue will be reduced to a single lane in both directions, between Bryn Mawr Avenue and 47th Street, in order to accommodate a $22.4 million project to rehabilitate the structure that carries City Ave. over SEPTA tracks in Lower Merion Township and Philadelphia.
The lane shutdowns, PennDOT said, would last until June of 2027.
The 20 month long, 24/7 closures, PennDOT said, would allow crews to do steel repairs and utility construction to rehabilitate a 114-year-old, 60-foot-long, 80-foot-wide, concrete arch bridge, which was previously widened in 1934.
Additional work, officials said, will include: repairing the structure’s sidewalks, replacing existing utility lines, rehabilitating and extending the retaining wall, installing new stormwater management and resurfacing the bridge and roadway approaches.
“Pedestrian access will also be improved between City Avenue, SEPTA’s Bala Station, and the Parkside Cynwyd Trail with construction of new ADA curb ramps and stair system,” PennDOT said in a statement on the project.
During this process, PennDOT officials noted that “significant backups and delays may occur,” because of this construction project.
When similar shutdowns occurred back in March, commuters told NBC10 that the closures added about ten minutes to the commute for drivers through that area.
For more information on the project, PennDOT has set up a website with information.
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