I83 South Bridge Project Information

I83 South Bridge Project

Project Description

The I-83 John Harris Memorial (South) Bridge was built in 1960, and widened in 1982, and connects downtown Harrisburg to its neighboring communities to the west in Cumberland County. The bridge currently carries more than 125,000 vehicles over the Susquehanna River every day.

At 61 years old, the South Bridge is nearing the end of its serviceable lifespan, which means that wear and tear requires more regular, frequent, and costly repairs. In addition to the replacement of the bridge, I-83 on the west shore will be widened and improved to meet the traffic needs in the area.

The purpose of the I-83 South Bridge Project is to improve traffic flow and safety around the Harrisburg metro region. The project is currently undergoing environmental studies to complete the Environmental Assessment.

The South Bridge project is intended to address several needs:

  • The bridge's aging structure. The bridge is approaching the end of its serviceable lifespan and most of the pavement on the project corridor is over 50 years old. This means that in the near future, wear and tear on the bridge will cause the need for more frequent and costly repairs.
  • Current and increasing traffic volumes. The current bridge and roadway do not adequately support today's traffic and won't be able to handle future traffic volumes.
  • Need for design improvements. The existing roadway system is outdated and in need of updates to meet current design standards.
  • Limited bicycle and pedestrian mobility in the project area. On the west shore, I-83, the existing interchange design and the location of the railroad hinder the ability for people walking and cycling to access communities and businesses north and south of the interstate and railroad.

The improvement project includes the total replacement of the South Bridge, widening the bridge to five lanes in each direction, and reconfiguring the Lemoyne interchange on the West Shore. A proposed alternative has been developed to accommodate a widened I-83 across the new South Bridge and improve the interchange in Lemoyne Borough.

PennDOT is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) for this project to address the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). An EA is a detailed study of how a project would affect the surrounding community's quality of life, including health, safety, cultural resources, natural resources, and more. The EA for this project is expected to be released for public review and comment in Summer 2021.

The estimated construction cost for this project is between $500 million and $650 million. PennDOT has an annual highway and bridge funding gap of $8.1 billion. Due to this funding gap, South Bridge is proposed as a potential candidate for bridge tolling as a part of the PennDOT Pathways Major Bridge P3 Initiative. The funds received from this bridge toll would go right back to the South Bridge to pay for its construction, maintenance and operation. A bridge toll is a fee that drivers pay when using a specific bridge, often by using a service like E-ZPass.

Final design work and right-of-way acquisition are anticipated to begin in 2022. Initial construction of the project is expected to begin in 2024.

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