When the South Street Pedestrian Bridge was constructed in the mid-1990s, the brick walkway that crosses Interstate 95 was not built directly onto the Delaware River waterfront. People must go down a set of stairs and then use a crosswalk to get to the other side of South Christopher Columbus Boulevard — the six-lane artery that runs parallel to the highway — to access the amenities and trail.
That will all change in the coming years as PennDOT extends the bridge diagonally across Columbus Boulevard, starting with the installation of an arch in June. The 258-foot span will become a new landmark in Philadelphia’s eastern skyline, rising nearly 100 feet above the roadway. The project, slated to be finished in 2027, will offer a more convenient path for pedestrians and cyclists to reach the waterfront with a landing area at Lombard Circle.
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“They wanted a statement bridge, and this is something that definitely catches your eye,” said Frank Bonito, senior construction manager for Hill International, the firm leading the project.
The bridge extension is connected to PennDOT’s $329 million project to build a cap over I-95 at Penn’s Landing, further north. The new surface above the highway will become an 11.5 acre park between Chestnut and Walnut streets, transforming the city’s long-underutilized eastern waterfront when it opens in 2030.
The South Street Pedestrian Bridge extension — which is mostly independent of the cap — will be the first visible feature of the city’s ambitious waterfront development. The arch is on track to debut next year ahead of major events including the World Cup and the nation’s 250th anniversary.
“Our idea was always to have the arch in place before all the events in 2026,” Bonito said.
‘Wake up in the morning and there’s a bridge there’
The construction and placement of the arch over Columbus Boulevard will be an interesting feat of engineering, one that minimizes traffic headaches for commuters on the north-south stretch.Â
The cable design chosen for the bridge extension is intended to reduce the number of piers needed to support its weight. A similar design was used for the connector bridge that opened in Grays Ferry in May, giving that neighborhood’s Crescent trail a link to Center City over the Schuylkill River.
“A cable-tied arch is pretty unique,” Bonito said. “We don’t have a lot of them floating around.”
In March, PennDOT will begin assembling the cable tied-arch section of the new bridge in a parking lot beside I-95, several blocks below South Street. In addition to the steel ribs, the structure will include a series of cables and a removable deck pan that will be used to pour concrete for the 14-foot-wide surface.
PennDOT crews have already demolished the overlook that had been on the existing pedestrian bridge on the east side of I-95. They also built a series of piers to support the arch when it’s ready to be moved into place — literally overnight.
The gigantic arch and its supporting elements, which together weigh about 1.3 million pounds, will be rolled across Columbus Boulevard on a series of trucks and then attached to the piers. The preliminary plan in the graphic below shows how the arch will be moved during a temporary closure on Columbus Boulevard. The exact path crews take may change, but they expect the job to be done in about four hours.
Provided Image/PennDOT
A preliminary plan shows how PennDOT’s contractors plan to move the arch from the parking lot where it’s assembled across Columbus Boulevard and into position next year before the bridge is completed in 2027.
“Basically, everybody goes to bed, they wake up in the morning and there’s a bridge there,” said Michael Altomari, assistant construction engineer at PennDOT
The bridge will not be open to pedestrians and cyclists for about another year after the arch is installed. Additional work will include constructing the approach spans, decking and railings. The bridge cables also will need to be adjusted to their proper tension, and lights and security cameras will be installed for visibility and safety.
Provided Image/PennDOT
A rendering shows plans for the South Street Bridge Extension, a 258-foot span that will carry the city’s existing structure from the east side of Interstate 95 across Christopher Columbus Boulevard to the Delaware River waterfront at Lombard Circle.
StreetView/Google Maps
The existing South Street Pedestrian Bridge was constructed in the mid-1990s, creating a path over Interstate 95 with a staircase leading down to Columbus Boulevard. The extension will take the bridge across Columbus Boulevard.
Planners initially considered building the bridge across Columbus Boulevard using a temporary pier in the middle of the road to support ongoing work. That plan would have required traffic control, disruptions and the use of shielding to protect drivers below. The old train tracks from the defunct Philadelphia Belt Line Railroad, now owned by CSX, also would have posed challenges.
“This is the smart way to do it, I think,” Altomari said of the overnight method.
PennDOT spokesperson Brad Rudolph said the agency has a time-lapse camera pointed at the location around the clock and will be able to show the public how the arch was moved into place.
Drawing more foot traffic to the waterfront
PennDOT believes easy access to the waterfront from South Street will maximize the use of new amenities and limit reliance on cars to get to them. The bridge will be about a 10-minute walk north along Columbus Boulevard to get to the future Park at Penn’s Landing.
On the east side of the bridge, PennDOT plans to build a “corkscrew”-style circle that allows people on bikes and wheelchairs to ease off the span gradually. Trees and bushes will be planted in the area, which sits right up against the river.
Provided Image/PennDOT
The east side of the bridge extension will have a circular ‘corkscrew’ design with landscaping next to the waterfront.
The existing South Street Pedestrian Bridge, owned by the city and accessed via Front Street, also will be rehabilitated as part of the project. It will remain unchanged except for the removal of its aluminum “Stroll” sculptures, which will be displayed at another location to be determined. PennDOT will rebuild the parking lot at the site of the existing bridge and maintain the new section over Columbus Boulevard.Â
When the Park at Penn’s Landing opens, it will have an ice rink, public gardens, memorials, children’s play area, amphitheater, food trucks, cafe and a mass-timber pavilion. There also will be a number of open spaces for performances, festivals, fairs and other events.
Provided Image/DRWC
A rendering shows an aerial view of the Park at Penn’s Landing that will open in 2030.
Bonito and Altomari are confident the I-95 cap project is on schedule for completion in 2029, followed by about a year to build out the park. PennDOT and its partners – including the Delaware River Waterfront Corp., the William Penn Foundation and the city — anticipate the park will bring new foot traffic to the length of the waterfront for a safer, more welcoming atmosphere.
“The development of that area is going to draw people, which will also draw developers,” Altomari said. “There’s a lot of piers down in that area, places that maybe have been in a little disrepair or not worth the investment to somebody. Now they might be.”