Expect slowdowns as $148M bridge rehabilitation project begins on Market Street

Drivers along Market Street in West Philadelphia will see intermittent lane closures along the roadway through April 14, 2025, as PennDOT has launched a $148 million project to improve the bridges that carry it over train railways, the Schuylkill River Trail and I-76.

According to officials with PennDOT, the project is intended to improve the superstructure on the Market Street bridge over Amtrak and I-76. The structure at the intersection of Schuylkill Avenue West and Market Street, will be partially demolished and replaced, PennDOT officials said.

The deck and sidewalks along the Market Street Bridge over the Schuylkill River will be replaced, as well, according to PennDOT.

The existing four-span Market Street bridge over the Schuylkill River Trail and CSX Railroad on the east side of the river, officials said, will be replaced with a single-span bridge and retaining walls.

Other improvements planned:

• Along with structural work on the bridges, Market Street’s pavement will be reconfigured from Schuylkill Avenue West to 23rd Street to enhance the existing transportation network and accommodate vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic.
• The new pavement will include two, 10-foot-wide travel lanes in both directions with turning lanes and wide sidewalks. A two-way bicycle lane with concrete separators will be installed and connected to the existing bicycle facilities at 23rd Street. A bicycle signal will be installed at Market Street and Schuylkill Avenue West.
• Modifications and upgrades will also be made to the traffic signals in the project area, including Intelligent Transportation Systems improvements and replacement of new highway lighting, bridge enhancement lighting, and navigation lighting systems.
• The project will repair the west and east river walls supporting the Schuylkill River banks from Market Street to south of Walnut Street and repair the pedestrian staircase between the Schuylkill River Trail and JFK Boulevard to address settlement.
• The contract also includes preservation improvements to the Walnut Street Bridge over the Schuylkill River and resurfacing the roadway between 33rd and 22nd streets. A parking-separated bicycle lane will be installed on Walnut Street from 33rd Street to 22nd Street, along with modifications to traffic signals.

Construction efforts are set to begin on Monday, March 17, 2025 and, through Monday, April 14, Market Street motorists will encounter periodic weekday lane closures from from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. between 30th Street and Schuylkill Avenue West for utility construction, PennDOT said.

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Also, officials said the project will require partial detours and staged-construction traffic patterns on Market Street and Walnut Street, including closing Market Street to vehicular traffic for approximately 14 months from August 2026 to October 2027, to accommodate visitors to Philadelphia for the celebration of America’s Semiquincentennial.

There will be no travel restrictions in place in the project area from June 1, 2026, to August 7, 2026, during the anniversary celebration, PennDOT said in a statement.

During the Market Street Bridge closure, several weekend street closures will be in place on the west side of the river for accelerated bridge construction over I-76 and, officials said, I-76 also will be closed in both directions from Arch Street to Walnut Street during these weekends.

During the Market Street Bridge reconstruction phases, two lanes of traffic in each direction will be maintained daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and, according to PennDOT, bicyclists will be directed to use the existing bicycle network on Chestnut and Walnut streets.

Officials said the project -- which is funded through federal funds for 80% of project costs and state funding for the remaining 20% -- will take about four years to complete.

For more details on the project, click here.