Paving the Way for Roadway Improvements in Suburban Philadelphia

The first of two mainline projects aimed at widening and reconstructing a 6.7-mile section of State Route 322 through Delaware County in Pennsylvania is now under construction, following a groundbreaking ceremony attended by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, Secretary Leslie S. Richards and local officials.

Benesch provided preliminary engineering and environmental studies as well as final design plans for the project, which will greatly improve transportation and accessibility throughout the suburban Philadelphia area. The existing SR 322 corridor lacked adequate capacity for planned growth in the area and was prone to traffic congestion and high accident rates.

The project’s design addresses these concerns via the construction of two additional lanes south of the existing roadway, as well as plans for five new bridges, seven culverts, retaining walls and sound barriers. New median barriers will be utilized to control access to the corridor; left-turn lanes and jug-handles will safely increase capacity at the eight existing intersections.

The project is part of a total estimated $550 million that PennDOT expects to invest in highway and bridge improvements across the Philadelphia region in 2017.

SR 322’s anticipated completion is 2021; Benesch is serving as construction consultant throughout the reconstruction.

Cover photo attendees (L to R):

Vern Gernhart, Travis Steich, Greg Brennan, George Horas, John Eagan, Mark Roth, Al Tomaselli, Liz Schwartz. PA Governor Tom Wolf is in the Center.