By FrumNews.com

Philadelphia, PA — The iconic 70-year-old Delaware River Bridge, which connects Burlington County, NJ and Bucks County, PA, will soon be replaced after $600 million was secured for the project from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The Delaware River Bridge currently carries more than 67,000 vehicles daily, with truck traffic accounting for approximately 16 percent of total volume. Given this heavy demand, the bridge’s existing four-lane configuration is no longer considered by officials to be sufficient to meet the capacity needs of the I-95 corridor—which stretches 1,917 miles from Miami, Florida, to the Canadian border in Maine—one of the busiest and most economically vital highway corridors in the United States.

“The project will widen the bridge to align with surrounding approach roadways and accommodate projected long-term traffic growth, while also addressing critical infrastructure risk, enhancing travel reliability, improving safety, and bolstering flood resilience,” according to a press release.

According to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, the bridge has been under replacement plans since “an unexpected fracture in one of the bridge’s support trusses led to a full closure that lasted over six weeks.” The shutdown disrupted travel for nearly 67,000 daily drivers and made it clear that a long-term solution was needed.

The funding will come through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s FY 2025 Bridge Investment Program, and was primarily secured by Pennsylvania Senators Dave McCormick and John Fetterman and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker.

“This $600 million investment is one of the most consequential infrastructure commitments in Pennsylvania’s history, and we are proud to have fought to secure this funding by writing directly to Transportation Secretary Duffy to make the case for why the Delaware River Bridge deserves federal investment,” Sen. McCormick and Fetterman said in a joint press statement. “The Delaware River Bridge is not just a Pennsylvania asset; it is a backbone of our national freight and passenger transportation network. This funding will make it safer and more resilient for the commuters, families, and businesses that depend on it every single day.”

“This is a major win for New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the millions of people and businesses that rely on this corridor,” said Senator Booker. “Replacing this aging bridge will strengthen regional connectivity, improve safety, and free up state resources for other urgent transportation priorities. I’m proud to have supported this project and grateful for the strong partnership between the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.”

The Delaware River Bridge Replacement Project is the third phase of the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Interstate 95 Interchange Program.

The project team is currently reviewing a range of options to replace the bridge, according to the PA Turnpike website. That includes looking at different bridge designs, alignments, and long-term solutions. The goal is to identify the safest, most efficient, and most cost-effective option for the future.

“Once the Alternatives Analysis is complete and a preferred approach is selected, preliminary design work will continue through 2027. As part of this process, the SEIS will carefully review changes since 2003, assess potential environmental and community impacts, and incorporate input from federal, state, and local partners—as well as the public.”

This project contrasts with the gateway program, which both Trump administrations have tried to squash by pulling funding.

“Part of making government work means 21st Century infrastructure that works for New Jerseyans,” said New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill. “The Delaware River Bridge is a critical link for drivers and freight traffic alike. Like so much of the aging infrastructure we’ve relied on in this region for decades, it needs replacing and modernization.”