Demolition of pedestrian bridge over Walnut Street at Penn's Landing begins

Demolition began Monday on the Walnut Street pedestrian bridge over I-95 and Columbus Boulevard and the connected rotunda at Penn's Landing.

The work is part of the ongoing $329 million Park at Penn's Landing project, that will see a 11.5-acre public space created in an effort to help connect Center City to the Delaware River waterfront.

The bridge has been closed to foot traffic since September as crews prepared for this week's demolition. Last week, crews removed Scottish and Irish memorials in preparation for the demolition.

Once complete, the park is expected to offer, according to organizers, a "flexible open space for performances and festivals; food and drink options; a new play area; a relocated RiverRink for ice skating in the Winter; and a water play area to cool off in the Summer."

Officials said demolition of the rotunda staircase and platform located in the right-of-way east of Columbus Boulevard at the eastern terminus of the pedestrian bridge, will happen first, followed by the pedestrian bridge over I-95 and Columbus Boulevard.

According to officials with PennDOT, there will be no travel restrictions will be in place on Columbus Boulevard or I-95 during the initial stages of demotion.

But, from Monday, Nov. 27 through Friday, Dec. 1, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., there will be periodic single and/or double lane closures on the northbound side of Columbus Boulevard between Lombard Circle and Market Street due to this project.

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Subsequent demolition activities on the Walnut Street pedestrian bridge will require daytime lane closures on Columbus Boulevard and off-peak and overnight lane closures and detours on I-95, officials said.

The demolition is expected to be completed by mid-December, and PennDOT officials said that work to remove the structure over I-95 and its associated ramps is scheduled to be completed by late January.

PennDOT said it will provide updates on the project online at www.95revive.com and ParkatPennsLanding.com.