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PennDOT is rehabilitating, repairing and repainting the steel superstructure and replacing the deck of the Chestnut Street (PA Route 3) bridge over the Schuylkill River that connects Center City Philadelphia with University City and West Philadelphia. The $103,589,847 project also will replace the decks of three adjacent Chestnut Street bridges (over 30th Street and Amtrak; over CSX rail lines; and over 24th Street), two viaducts on Schuylkill Avenue and two ramp structures for I-76 (Chestnut Street WB off-ramp, Walnut Street EB on-ramp).

This investment in Center City's transportation infrastructure will be completed in three major Construction Stages over three and one-half years beginning in Summer 2017. Go here for the Construction Schedule.

A localized detour will be in place for Chestnut Street from Schuylkill Avenue to 23rd Street for approximately one year beginning in mid-2019 for rehabilitation of the structurally deficient, weight-posted Chestnut Street masonry arch bridge structure over CSX railroad. And the Schuylkill River Trail will be closed below Chestnut Street for approximately three months in early 2020 for repairs to a retaining wall.

The Chestnut Street structures included in this project were constructed between 1864 and 1960 and carry an average of 18,300 vehicles per day. The Schuylkill Avenue structures on the west side of the river were constructed in the late 1950’s and carry an average of 8,600 vehicles per day.

The project, which continues PennDOT’s commitment to bridge preservation within the surrounding University City and Center City Districts of Philadelphia, is financed with 80 percent federal and 20 percent state funds.

Local access will be maintained up to and through most of the construction zone.