Construction This Winter on Two New U.S. 1 Bridges North of the Turnpike; U.S. 1 Improvements Completed South of the Turnpike
With U.S. 1 improvements between Old Lincoln Highway and the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Bucks County (Section RC1) completed in December 2022 (see below), construction this winter will focus on the construction of two new bridges north of the Turnpike (Section RC2).
Section RC1 roadway, bridge, and interchange construction between the Turnpike Interchange and Old Lincoln Highway in Bensalem Township, the first of three construction projects for PennDOT’s U.S. 1 Bucks Improvement Project, finished in early December. Section RC1 construction began in late 2018, reconstructed and widened one mile of U.S. 1, and replaced bridges over Street Road (Route 132), the Turnpike and its ramps, and Bristol Road. The U.S. 1/Street Road (Route 132) interchange also was reconstructed.
RC2
Last fall work was finished on the new northbound U.S. 1 bridge over the rail lines at the Penndell/Business U.S. 1 Interchange. Two lanes of traffic in each direction were shifted onto the new structure while the contractor completed construction of the northbound section of the new U.S. 1 bridge over the Penndel/Business U.S. 1 Interchange. All lanes of traffic were subsequently shifted onto the new span to allow for the demolition and reconstruction of the southbound side that began in early January (see below).
U.S.1 excavation north of the Turnpike continues in the northbound and southbound shoulder areas for the construction of an additional travel lane in both directions on U.S. 1 through the Penndel/Business U.S. 1 Interchange.
Additionally, construction continues to replace the northbound side of the U.S. 1 bridge over Rockhill Drive (see right) to accommodate the widening on U.S. 1. Both directions of U.S. 1 traffic travel on the existing southbound side during this bridge construction. The on-ramp to southbound U.S.1 from Rockhill Drive remains closed for construction to improve the interchange.
Section RC2 is expected to be completed in mid-2026.
The contracts, RC1 and RC2, are part of PennDOT’s three-phase project to improve four miles of U.S.1 in Bucks County by reconstructing and widening the pavement, building several bridges, and improving several interchanges along a continuous section of the highway in Bensalem and Middletown townships.
PennDOT in 2014 completed $14.8 million in improvements at the U.S. 1/Maple Avenue Interchange in Middletown Township as part of their overall initiative to modernize and upgrade the U.S. 1 corridor in Bucks County.