A $145.2 million project to rehabilitate a 97-year-old bridge in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area is in the final design phase with construction expected to begin in 2027.
The project involves repairing the deck of the vital Market Street Bridge, which was built in 1928, and adding features to make it safer for cyclists and pedestrians. The bridge currently serves as a major thoroughfare for commuters entering the city of Harrisburg and is an artery for people entering City Island.
The bridge, which is designated as State Route (SR) 3012 in Dauphin County and SR 1010 in Cumberland County, runs over the east and west channel of the Susquehanna River, connecting the communities of Harrisburg, Dauphin County and Wormleysburg Borough/Lemoyne Borough.
Market Street is a primary commuter route and provides a connection over both the east and west channels of the Susquehanna River to City Island.
The project, which is scheduled for completion in 2034, includes the rehabilitation of the historic arch and replacement of the deck and upstream sidewalk on the 16-span eastern bridge as well as the construction of a new deck and beams on the 16-span western bridge, according to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation documents.
Project details include:
- Four 10-foot-wide lanes on each bridge.
- Smoother, wider sidewalks.
- Adding shoulders to provide additional space for bicyclists and a buffer area between vehicles and pedestrians on the sidewalk.
- Building a utility bridge that will include a 14-foot wide pathway for bicycle and pedestrian use.
- Adding signage to promote safety for bicyclists.
Photo by Tafyrn & Seamora, CC BY 2.5 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5, from Wikimedia Commons
