PA 413 (Pine Street) is federally classified as a Regional Principal Arterial. This classification of roadway is meant to carry most trips entering and leaving the area and serves intra-area travel. In the existing condition, U.S. 1 traffic must exit the mainline via frontage roads and then disperse onto neighborhood streets, and then travelers work their way to a major street (e.g., Pine Street) to continue or complete their trips. Providing a direct connection to PA 413 (Pine Street) via an interchange reduces traffic on neighborhood streets and places vehicles directly onto PA 413 (Pine Street) via a modern interchange design.
Are the bridge overpasses throughout the corridor high enough to provide adequate vertical clearance for trucks underneath on U.S. 1?
Current practice is to provide 16’-6” of clearance for a bridge over a highway like U.S. 1. PA 413 (Pine Street) is posted for a minimum clearance of 13’-11” and has been accidentally struck previously, most recently on April 12, 2022, by under-passing trucks.
Can PennDOT restrict truck traffic along PA 413 within Langhorne Borough?
PennDOT is only able to restrict truck traffic based on engineering justification (e.g., deficient vertical clearances, bridge weight limitations, pavement structure) or due to traffic conditions. PA routes and primary highways are generally not posted with truck restrictions and are preferred highway facilities to accommodate truck traffic (in comparison to neighborhood streets).
Can PA 413 be redesignated to follow I-295 instead of passing through Langhorne Borough or designate other roadways as truck routes?
Changes to the designation of PA 413 are not part of this project. The designation or redesignation of PA 413 would involve the Bucks County Planning Commission and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission in coordination with PennDOT and other regional stakeholders. Any redesignation of PA 413 needs to examine regional travel patterns, which are beyond the scope of this project. With the availability of modern traffic routing tools and smartphone applications, such a redesignation would likely have a minimal effect on traffic volumes passing through Langhorne Borough.
Have there been studies done to investigate making U.S. 1 either a depressed roadway with alternative bridge crossings or a tunnel throughout the project corridor?
PennDOT and its design consultant engineer previously completed an initial high-level investigation into both a tunneling option and a potential depressed roadway alternative with access (bridge) crossings. The initial investigations had the cost of tunneling in the range of $900M to $1.3B based on similar projects nationwide. The initial investigations into a depressed roadway (excluding capping with green space) were in the range of $300M to $400M. Additionally, future maintenance would also need to be taken into account, which is considerably higher for an underground facility when compared to a typical at-grade roadway. Lastly, detailed studies/reports were not completed for either option to determine constructability/feasibility.
Will I be able to access businesses and residences during construction?
Access will be provided at all times during construction to residences and businesses where construction takes place.
How will this project affect traffic during construction of the RC2 corridor?
To limit congestion, queues, and delays due to construction, 2 lanes of traffic will be maintained in both directions on the U.S. 1 mainline and along Street Road from 5 AM to 9 PM. Based on experience along the corridor, traffic will be able to be reduced to 1 lane in each direction from 9 PM to 5 PM, when traffic volumes are much lower.
At certain times throughout the life of the project, 15-minute rolling traffic stoppages are anticipated to allow for overhead work such as bridge demolition, bridge beam installation, overhead sign structure truss installation, etc. These traffic stoppages will be limited to occur during overnight hours when traffic volumes are the lowest.
Will there be nighttime construction on this project?
Due to high traffic volumes and the need to maintain 2 lanes of traffic in each direction on U.S. 1 from 5 AM to 9 PM, certain construction operations will be restricted to nighttime work when additional working room (i.e., additional lane closures) is necessary. PennDOT will attempt to limit the amount of nighttime work permitted through requirements included in the contract documents.
How long is the estimated construction duration?
The construction duration within the RC2 corridor is currently anticipated to take approximately 5.5 years total, through Summer 2026; however, it should be noted that this schedule is subject to factors such as utility relocations, weather, etc.
How do I report problems or issues of concern during construction?
Use the form on the Contact Us section of the website at any time with your questions or concerns about the construction operation. We will usually respond that same day or shortly thereafter.