Contract Awarded for Stage 1 Reconstruction of I-95/Cottman Avenue Interchange in Philadelphia

Ramp construction, surface roads improvements in Tacony set to begin this spring

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has awarded a $31.95 million contract to Tony DePaul and Son for construction to begin this spring on new ramps and other improvements to the I-95/Cottman Avenue Interchange in Northeast Philadelphia.

The contract (I-95/CP1) is the first of two phases (I-95/CP2) of the overall project (I-95/CPR) to reconstruct and improve the interchange and 1.4 miles of adjacent interstate.

Under the first CPR contract, PennDOT will construct a new southbound on-ramp from State Road and a new northbound on-ramp from Milnor Street.

Construction of the new State Road on-ramp will allow PennDOT to remove the existing southbound on-ramp from Princeton Avenue and convert Princeton Avenue into a two-way road between Torresdale Avenue and State Road. A number of traffic-calming features – bicycle lanes, curb bulbouts – also will be installed along the converted stretch of Princeton Avenue.

The new Milnor Street ramp will help remove commercial traffic from adjacent residential neighborhoods by providing access to I-95 north from the river-side of the interstate.

Other changes that will be built under the initial contract include:

• Conversion of Cottman Avenue to a two-way road – one lane eastbound, two lanes westbound – from Torresdale Avenue to State Road.
• Lowering of Cottman Avenue to increase clearance under the AMTRAK bridge west of State Road to 14’6” to accommodate most commercial vehicles.
• Widening of State Road to include an additional southbound lane between Princeton and Cottman avenues.

Work on I-95/CP1 is not expected to significantly impact travel on I-95, but periodic lane closures and temporary parking restrictions will be in place at times on Cottman and Princeton avenues, State Road and New State Road, and on Milnor Street.

Construction is expected to begin in May and be completed in 2011. The final stage of reconstruction at Cottman Avenue (I-95/CP2), which includes reconstruction of the adjacent section of I-95, is scheduled to get underway in 2010.

Improvements at the Cottman Avenue Interchange are part of PennDOT’s long-range initiative to rebuild I-95, its bridges and its interchanges between I-676/Vine Street and Academy Road in Philadelphia.

More information on the I-95 projects, as well as subscriptions to e-mail bulletins and publications about the projects, is available at www.95revive.com.