On Wednesday, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) would receive $500 million to fund replacing the I-83 South Bridge in Harrisburg.
The grant, part of the Large Bridge Project program through the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Bridge Investment Program, will replace the bridge that connects Harrisburg to the west shore in Cumberland County. The bridge carries more than 125,000 cars and trucks over the Susquehanna River every day, officials said.
Shapiro joined U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Mike Carroll, Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams, and other elected officials to celebrate the grant award.
“is the largest federal grant for a single transportation project in Pennsylvania history – and it’s a huge investment in this community and our Commonwealth,” Shapiro said. “I-83 is a vital artery in central Pennsylvania that connects our communities on each side of the river, helping 125,000 Pennsylvanians get to their jobs, medical appointments, and grocery stores every day. For a year and a half, I have bothered the President and Secretary Buttigieg about this bridge – and because they listened to the good people of Pennsylvania, we will get this job done under the leadership of Secretary Carroll to connect our communities and grow our economy for decades to come.”
Built in 1960 and widened in 1982, the I-83 South Bridge is reaching the end of its service life, officials said. The funding will replace the bridge, reconfigure the Lemoyne interchange and reconstruct the viaduct from the Susquehanna River to Cameron Street in Harrisburg. The project is expected to cost between $1.1 and $1.3 billion. With the $500 million grant award, PennDOT will move the project into its final design and procurement phase, with construction beginning in 2026.