The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PA Turnpike) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday for the $88 million Hawk Falls Bridge replacement project.
“The opening of the new Hawk Falls Bridge shows that even after 85 years, we’re still leading the way in providing safe and convenient travel to our customers throughout our beautiful commonwealth,” Mark Compton, Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission CEO, said. “By enhancing one of its most critical transportation corridors and improving travel reliability for commuters and commercial drivers, we’re driving home the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s mission to provide a safe and reliable roadway system that supports mobility and national commerce.”
The new bridge will enhance safety and mobility at milepost 88.59 on the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. It features two lanes of traffic in each direction and an increased shoulder and median width. The bridge’s construction used weathering steel and eliminating expansion joints that will improve the structure’s longevity and reduce long-term maintenance needs.
The area averages more than 24,000 vehicles daily.
“Every Pennsylvanian deserves a safe and reliable transportation network that includes modernized bridges, like Hawk Falls, that improve access and traffic flow, helping motorists arrive at destinations safely and quickly,” Michael Carroll, Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission chairman, said.