FHWA, in partnership with PA Turnpike and NJTA, Solicits Comments on Delaware River Bridge Project
FHWA, in partnership with PA Turnpike and NJTA, Solicits Comments on Delaware River Bridge Project
Bucks County, PA and Burlington County, NJ – The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (Commission) and New Jersey Turnpike Authority (Authority), has published the Notice of Intent (NOI) to solicit comments on and advise the public, agencies, tribes and nations, and stakeholders that a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) will be prepared to evaluate potential transportation improvements for the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-276)/Interstate 95 Interchange Project, Stage 3 which includes the Delaware River Bridge.
The Delaware River Bridge Project will improve safety, reliability and long-term performance for the thousands of drivers who rely on this bridge daily. A critical connection between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the Delaware River Bridge is a vital part of the PA Turnpike/Interstate-95 (I-95) Interchange Project, supporting the movement of people and goods throughout the region. The U.S. Department of Transportation recently awarded the project $600 million in federal funding.
The NOI is an important part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a federal framework that guides transportation decisions by considering various factors and requirements. This process balances engineering and transportation needs with social, economic, and natural environmental factors. Throughout the process, input is gathered from a wide range of stakeholders – including the public, businesses, interest groups, and agencies at all levels of government – to shape project outcomes.
The SEIS will focus on Stage 3 of the overall PA Turnpike/I-95 Interchange Project. Stage 3 is the Delaware River Bridge (DRB) portion of the project, which includes transportation improvements under review, such as the replacement of the current bridge and reconfiguration of the approach roadways.
The SEIS will consider new information or circumstances related to environmental factors identified since the FHWA issued the 2003 Record of Decision (ROD), which included building a new bridge south of the existing and rehabbing the current structure.
However, in 2017, a fracture forced the Delaware River Bridge to close for more than six weeks for repairs. After that, the Commission and Authority decided to consider alternative options to the 2003 decision. In 2023, FHWA requested a SEIS to review alternatives for the bridge due to the amount of time that had passed since the 2003 ROD, the 2017 fracture and because the Delaware River Bridge is now eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
As a requirement, the project team completed a Historic Bridge Rehabilitation Analysis, which concluded that the bridge could not be rehabilitated to address both the project’s needs and maintain its status as a historic resource.
Since the bridge cannot be rehabilitated, the project team studied nine different options, including locations both north and south of the existing bridge. Significant property impacts affecting the community, community resources, natural resources and the Amtrak substation, which powers a significant section of the Northeast Corridor, led to the elimination of southern options, and the project team narrowed it down to two north options for further study in the SEIS.
The NOI begins the formal NEPA environmental review and documentation process. The NOI and supporting documents are available at the Federal Register and on the Project Website. Comments on this NOI and the Supporting Documents must be received by May 25, 2026.
Next month, the Commission and Authority will host their third round of public meetings on this project. The agencies will provide the results of the detailed alternatives analysis and the recommended preferred alternative. These meetings will occur June 9-11, 2026, providing in-person and virtual options for the public. Public hearings are scheduled to take place in Winter 2026/2027.
The Commission, in partnership with the Authority, is leading the project with oversight from FHWA. For more information, to provide public feedback or to sign up for future project notifications, please visit DelawareRiverTurnpikeBridge.com.
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Media Contacts:
Marissa Orbanek, Press Secretary: (267) 408-5151, morbanek@paturnpike.com
Tom Feeney, Media Relations Office: (732) 750-5333, feeney@njta.gov