The Market Street Bridge connecting 30th Street Station and University City to Center City will be closed for 14 months beginning Aug. 24, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said this week.

Crews will be reconstructing the series of bridges that carry Philadelphia’s primary east-west street over the Schuylkill River, I-76 and an expanse of railroad tracks. The project’s budget is nearly $150 million.

“Additional information, including detour routes, will be released closer to the closure date,” PennDOT said in a July 30 news release.

While vehicles will not be able to access the bridge, a sidewalk will remain open for pedestrians, according to state officials. PennDOT intends to reopen Market Street between 23rd Street and Schuylkill Avenue in October 2027.

SEPTA says it will need to reroute six bus routes — 31, 44, 49, 124, 125 and L1 Owl — during the closure. A map outlining the detours will be released in near future, authority representatives added.

Periodic disruptions are also expected along I-76, also known as the Schuylkill Expressway. The highway’s westbound lanes will be shut down between the 30th Street and I-676 interchanges from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Aug. 5 and Aug. 6.

Similar overnight closures were implemented from July 20 through July 23. Market Street’s center lane has been blocked off between Schuylkill Avenue and 30th Street since July 20 to allow for utility work in preparation for the larger project.

Construction on the four-year initiative began in March 2025; PennDOT paused work to ensure there were no traffic impacts during the celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday. The existing bridge was erected in 1932.

Officials say the section of the bridge over the Expressway and Amtrak lines will be partially demolished and rebuilt. Meanwhile, the four-span bridge over the Schuylkill River Trail and CSX tracks will be replaced with a single-span bridge. Deteriorated decking and sidewalks above the river will also be replaced.

Once complete, Market Street will be redesigned to have two travel lanes, turning lanes and a two-way bicycle lane that will be protected by concrete barriers, according to PennDOT.

Crews will also bolster the river walls along the banks of the Schuylkill and fix a staircase connecting the river trail to JFK Boulevard.

In addition, improvements will be made to the nearby Walnut Street Bridge, state officials said. Walnut Street will be repaved between 33rd and 22nd streets, and a parking-protected bike lane will be installed, according to PennDOT.

All portions of the project are expected to be finished by April 2029.

MORE: SEPTA trolley tunnel reopens for overnight service

Keywords

Market Street Bridge,

PennDOT,

Philadelphia,

Center City,

University City,

30th Street Station,

SEPTA,

Schuylkill River,

road closures,

infrastructure