By Richard L. Gaw

Staff Writer

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced recently that it will replace a long outdated culvert along Baltimore Pike in New Garden Township, beginning on May 24.

The new culvert will replace an existing 93-year-old structure that measures 14 feet long and 38 feet wide, and carries an average of 10,689 vehicles a day. The Baltimore Pike culvert is one of seven bridges that are part of a $5 million project to repair or replace poor condition bridges in Bucks, Chester and Montgomery counties.

Other structures that will be completed in this project include Springton Road over Indian Run in Wallace Township; West State Road over the west branch of Red Clay Creek in Kennett Township; Route 282 (Creek Road) over a branch of the Brandywine Creek in East Brandywine Township; Clay Creek Road over White Clay Creek in Franklin Township; 2nd Avenue over Mingo Creek in Upper Providence Township, Montgomery County; and Hulmeville Road over Chubb Run in Middletown Township and Penndel Borough, Bucks County.

Due to the nature of construction, Baltimore Pike will be closed and detoured between Union Street and Chambers Road 24 hours a day and seven days a week through the completion of the project, which is expected to be in early September.

During the road closure, those driving along Baltimore Pike will be directed to use Cypress Avenue/Baltimore Pike, U.S. 1 (Kennett-Oxford Bypass) North, Greenwood Road all turns, U.S. 1 (Kennett-Oxford Bypass) South, Route 41 interchange, and Route 41 (Gap Newport Pike/Pennsylvania Avenue) South. Local access will be maintained up to the construction zone.

Work on this project will be in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and state Department of Health guidance as well as a project-specific COVID-19 safety plan, which will include protocols for social distancing, use of face coverings, personal and job-site cleaning protocols, management of entries to the jobsite, and relevant training.

Loftus Construction, Inc. of Cinnaminson, New Jersey will be the general contractor on this improvement project, which is being financed with 100 percent state funds. 

To learn more about PennDOT planned and active construction projects, visit www.projects.penndot.gov.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].