Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission

Mill Creek & Valley Forge Bridges

Valley Forge, PA

The Pennsylvania Turnpike underwent a six-mile reconstruction and widening project to expand the Turnpike from four to six lanes between milepost 320 and milepost 326.

Benesch provide design for the replacement of two overhead bridges (EB-735/Mill Road and EB-739/Valley Forge Road) with a unique green element to meet new environmental standards. As a sustainable design feature, a rain garden was incorporated to control complex stormwater management and meet stringent NPDES requirements in the Exceptional Value Watershed.

Benesch prepared final traffic control plans to depict the necessary signs, devices, traffic restrictions and phasing to allow the safe, efficient, and controlled movement of traffic through and around the construction site. This effort required traffic data collection at eighteen off-site intersections in and around Valley Forge National Park. This was necessary to assess and mitigate the impact of additional traffic along the detour routes.

Benesch developed a detailed staging plan for the demolition of the existing bridge on Mill Road and the staged construction of the new bridge to accommodate the removal and reattachment of a PECO gas main. For the Valley Forge Road Bridge, a special provision was developed to close the Turnpike for a period of four hours while the existing rigid-frame structure was imploded and cleared from the roadway below.

All design plans were completed in accordance with the PENNDOT Design Manual and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) procedures.

Project highlights

  • Bridge replacement and widening with detailed construction staging plan for
    utility coordination
  • Sustainable design features
  • Extensive agency coordination for cultural and historic issues with the Valley Forge National Park