For the 67,000 drivers who cross the Delaware River Bridge every single day, good news is here: the aging bridge is finally being replaced.
The structure connecting Burlington County, New Jersey to Bucks County, Pennsylvania is set to be replaced, following a $600 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The funding, awarded to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, marks a significant step forward for a bridge that has been practically living on borrowed time.
A Bridge on Borrowed Time
Built more than 70 years ago, the Delaware River Bridge links the New Jersey Turnpike to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, making it one of the most heavily trafficked corridors on the East Coast. It handles freight, commuters, and everything in between.
In 2017, a fractured support truss caused the bridge to close for more than six weeks—forcing local officials to take a closer look at just how vulnerable the aging structure had become. The closure put the bridge’s long-term future squarely in focus. Since then, officials on both sides of the river have been working toward a permanent fix…