Section RC2 Improvements to Wrap Up This Summer
Work to complete the connecting sections of roadway between three new U.S. 1 bridges will wrap up this summer, substantially completing PennDOT’s Section RC2 project to widen and improve U.S. 1 in Bucks County in Bensalem and Middletown townships.
The new northbound and southbound bridges are in place over the Penndel/Business U.S. 1 Interchange, the Neshaminy Creek, and Rockhill Drive at the Neshaminy exit. Noise walls and drainage improvements also have been completed.
Crews finished placement of the base pavement between the bridges in mid-June and shifted three lanes of northbound and southbound traffic into their permanent alignment from north of the Pendell/Business U.S. 1 exit through to the Turnpike’s Bensalem Interchange. From there, these Section RC2 improvements connect with the six lanes that were completed in 2022 under the Section RC1 contract.
With traffic in its new alignment, PennDOT’s contractor began paving the final “wearing course” one lane at a time to wrap up the $111 million project this summer, a year ahead of the original contract completion date.
Final paving and line striping on Rockhill Drive at the U.S. 1 Interchange will finish in July.
Section RC2 is the second phase of PennDOT’s three-phase project to improve approximately five miles of U.S. 1 in Bucks County by reconstructing and widening the pavement; replacing several bridges; and improving several interchanges along a continuous section of highway in Bensalem and Middletown townships.
RC2 construction began in early 2021.
Section RC1, the first of three projects under PennDOT’s initiative to improve travel and safety on the U.S. 1 corridor in Bucks County, went to construction in late 2018 and finished in late 2022. The $95 million Section RC1 contract widened and improved U.S. 1 from Old Lincoln Highway, at Philadelphia’s eastern border, to the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Bensalem Interchange.
Section RC1 reconstructed and widened approximately one mile of U.S. 1 and replaced bridges over Street Road (Route 132), the Turnpike, and the Turnpike ramps. The Bristol Road bridge over U.S. 1 also was replaced.
In addition, the U.S. 1 interchange with Street Road (Route 132) was reconstructed. The westbound Street Road ramp to U.S. 1 north was relocated to the south side of the highway, and ramps to and from southbound U.S. 1 were constructed west of U.S. 1 at another new signalized intersection.
Left-turn lanes also were added in both directions at the Turnpike’s westbound slip ramp intersection on Street Road, and a new on-ramp from eastbound Street Road to southbound U.S. 1 also was added.
Section RC1 also included replacement of the ramps to and from U.S. 1 and the Turnpike interchange.
PennDOT in 2014 completed $14.8 million in improvements at the U.S. 1/Maple Avenue Interchange in Middletown Township as part of its overall initiative to modernize and upgrade the U.S. 1 corridor in Bucks County.
A third project, RC3, will improve U.S. 1 from the Penndel/Business U.S. 1 Interchange north through the Route 413 overpass. The project remains in Final Design and is tentatively scheduled for construction in 2029.