Work on a Delaware River bridge connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey will continue for “several more months” longer than anticipated, officials said Thursday.
Construction on the New Hope-Lambertville Toll-Supported Bridge will be extended because of an unexpected structural issue, the Delaware River Joint Bridge Commission announced.
A comprehensive rehabilitation project began in late January, and the bridge has been closed to New Jersey-bound traffic during that time. Pedestrian crossings have also been restricted to a temporary walkway.
Officials initially expected to be able to reopen the 120-year-old bridge this fall, but during the work, crews found a steel pin that supports a critical joint on the bridge has rusted and deteriorated so much it’s making the bridge unsafe for heavy loads.
The pin’s condition might not have been discovered without the sandblasting done for the renovation, the commission’s announcement said. Other pins were ultrasonically tested and found to be safe, officials said.