The
Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project is a project to build an
interchangeIn the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
where
Interstate 95Interstate 95 is an Interstate highway running from Miami, Florida north to Houlton, Maine. In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the route is known by many as the Delaware Expressway, but is officially named The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. and locally known as "95"...
crosses the
Pennsylvania TurnpikeThe Pennsylvania Turnpike is a toll highway system operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. The three sections of the turnpike system total . The main section extends from Ohio to New Jersey and is long...
in
Bristol Township, PennsylvaniaBristol Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 54,582 at the 2010 census, making it the 13th largest municipality in the state. Bristol Township, along with Bristol Borough, is a cultural hub for Lower Bucks County, hosting celebrations of African...
. This will fill the gap that exists on I-95 through
New JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
due to the cancellation of the Somerset Freeway. The project also includes widening the Turnpike east of U.S. Route 1 and rebuilding the
Delaware River-Turnpike Toll BridgeThe Delaware River – Turnpike Toll Bridge is a four-lane steel arch-shaped suspended deck truss bridge that connects the Pennsylvania Turnpike's East-West Mainline with the main trunk of the New Jersey Turnpike, via the Pearl Harbor Memorial Extension...
, which connects
Bristol Township, PennsylvaniaBristol Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 54,582 at the 2010 census, making it the 13th largest municipality in the state. Bristol Township, along with Bristol Borough, is a cultural hub for Lower Bucks County, hosting celebrations of African...
and
Burlington Township, New Jersey- Local government :Burlington Township is governed under the Faulkner Act Plan E form of municipal government and consists of a mayor and a seven-member Township Council. The council is elected at-large in partisan elections to four-year terms in office on a staggered basis., the Mayor of...
.
Construction began in November 2010 and will cost approximately
US$The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
650 million. When completed, this will allow I-95 to be a continuous route between Philadelphia and
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and finally complete the highway from
FloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
to
MaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
.
History
As far back as the formation of the
Interstate Highway SystemThe Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
, I-95 was planned as a Florida-to-Maine superhighway. The highway was also intended to pass through the
Northeast MegalopolisThe Northeast megalopolis or Boston–Washington megalopolis is the heavily urbanized area of the United States stretching from the the northern suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts to the southern suburbs of Washington, D.C. On a map, the region appears almost as a perfectly straight line. As of 2000,...
. However, decades of disputes among local and regional governments and private landowners prevented or delayed the design and construction of this highway from the
TrentonTrenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
/Philadelphia area to northern New Jersey in the
New BrunswickNew Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
/
PiscatawayThe township consists of the following historic villages and areas: New Market, known as Quibbletown in the 18th Century, Randolphville, Fieldville and North Stelton...
area. To this day, I-95 is incomplete because of the gap in this area. Specifically, if drivers wish to proceed northbound from
Wilmington, DelawareWilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
to
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
without encountering a traffic signal, the most direct route today is to exit I-95 onto I-295 just south of Wilmington, enter New Jersey via the
Delaware Memorial BridgeThe Delaware Memorial Bridge is a set of twin suspension bridges crossing the Delaware River. The toll bridges carry Interstate 295 and U.S. Route 40 between Delaware and New Jersey...
, and continue north on the
New Jersey TurnpikeThe New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey, maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. According to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the Turnpike is the nation's sixth-busiest toll road and is among one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United...
. Alternatively, if drivers stayed on I-95 north, they would pass through Philadelphia into
Bucks County, Pennsylvania- Industry and commerce :The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II. Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with the opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania, the second such "Levittown" designed by...
and over the
Delaware RiverThe Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
into
Mercer County, New JerseyAs of the census of 2000, there were 350,761 people, 125,807 households, and 86,303 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,552 people per square mile . There were 133,280 housing units at an average density of 590 per square mile...
northwest of Trenton. At this point, I-95 abruptly ends at the interchange of U.S. Route 1 in
Lawrence TownshipArea residents often refer to all of Lawrence Township as Lawrenceville. Lawrenceville is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Lawrence Township...
and becomes I-295 south. Motorists then enter I-195 eastbound from I-295 exit 60A, and then take I-195 to the New Jersey Turnpike northbound (where I-95 continues). According to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the turnpike is signed as I-95 in the area of Robbinsville Township north of Turnpike Exit 7A (for I-195). However, NJDOT states that Interstate 95 starts from the New Jersey/Pennsylvania Turnpike Connector Bridge and follows the NJ Turnpike Extension to the northbound lanes of the mainline of the Turnpike.
Earliest designs
During the mid 1950s, while I-95 was still in its infancy, a proposal was made to route it through the city of Trenton by way of the
Trenton Toll BridgeThe Trenton–Morrisville Toll Bridge is one of three road bridges connecting Trenton, New Jersey with Morrisville, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1952, it carries U.S. Route 1 and is owned and operated by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission. This bridge's toll plaza was originally configured to...
(now in use and designated to
U.S. 1U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway, extending from the Florida Keys in the south to the Canadian border in the north. In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, US 1 runs for from the Maryland state line near Oxford to the New Jersey state line near Trenton.-Maryland to Interstate...
). New Jersey opposed this routing due to the limited capacity of that bridge. A proposal to bypass and loop around Trenton was formally proposed and agreed-upon by both states in the late 50s. What was eventually called the
Scudder Falls BridgeThe Scudder Falls Bridge is a girder bridge that carries Interstate 95 over the Delaware River, connecting Lower Makefield Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with Ewing Township in Mercer County, New Jersey. This bridge, which was constructed from 1958 to 1959, is maintained by the Delaware...
was constructed in 1959. Completed soon afterward was a section of I-95 north of Trenton. Plans then began in the mid-sixties to join this segment to I-287 in northern New Jersey. This controversial section of I-95 became known as the Somerset Freeway, but by 1978, doubts were expressed that I-95 would ever be completed.
Somerset Freeway
The Somerset Freeway was planned to run from existing I-95 north of
TrentonTrenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
northeast to
Interstate 287Interstate 287 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. It is a partial beltway around New York City, serving the northern half of New Jersey and the counties of Rockland and Westchester in New York...
west of
Perth AmboyPerth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The City of Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 50,814. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", referring to Raritan Bay.-Name:The Lenape...
, and was to carry I-95 towards the
New Jersey TurnpikeThe New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey, maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. According to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the Turnpike is the nation's sixth-busiest toll road and is among one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United...
. The project was cancelled in 1982, primarily for two reasons. First, residents along the
PrincetonPrinceton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
corridor feared increased congestion and a drop in property values. Second, the state of New Jersey feared a drop in state revenues by diverting traffic from the NJ Turnpike. A 1980 article in
The New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
stated:
Killing I-95 means that the entire length of the turnpike almost surely will become the official I-95 artery through the state, thus assuring it a continued source of toll revenue. At present, only that segment of the turnpike north of Exit 10 in Middlesex County is designated as I-95.
As a result I-95 was later rerouted south on the NJ Turnpike to Exit 6, and onto its Pennsylvania Extension to end at the state line.
Plans are finalized
Renewed hope of bridging the gap emerged in 1982, when the Federal Surface Transportation Assistance Act decreed that I-95 be completed through a PA Turnpike/I-95 interchange which would connect to the NJ Turnpike using the
Delaware River Turnpike BridgeThe Delaware River – Turnpike Toll Bridge is a four-lane steel arch-shaped suspended deck truss bridge that connects the Pennsylvania Turnpike's East-West Mainline with the main trunk of the New Jersey Turnpike, via the Pearl Harbor Memorial Extension...
. An impact study was then conducted by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission between 1992 and 2003. Details were hashed out during the design sessions that took place from 2004 to 2006. One of the last pieces of the puzzle was the question of what would become of the existing section of I-95 north of the interchange. The Design Advisory Committee determined that in order to avoid confusion, that segment would become an extension of
Interstate 195Interstate 195 is an auxiliary route of the Interstate Highway System located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Its western end is at I-295 and Route 29 just south of Trenton, New Jersey in Hamilton Township, Mercer County while its eastern end is at the Garden State Parkway, Route 34 and Route...
when the interchange is completed, and the part of Interstate 276 east of the interchange will become part of Interstate 95.
Design and construction
The approved design calls for multi-phased construction to begin in late 2010 and for Phase I to end some time in 2017 or maybe 2018. The first two phases consist of the development of a single-loop interchange at the point where the PA Turnpike (I-276) and I-95 meet in Bristol Township, although according to the official project website, the completion of Phase I will officially bridge the I-95 gap. In order to accommodate the projected high traffic volume, a new
tollboothA toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
will be built approximately two miles west of the interchange, terminating the toll ticket part of the turnpike system. The current tollbooth at the Delaware River bridge will still exist, but its purpose will be to collect a flat-rate toll for west/southbound traffic only. This phase also calls for the widening of the Turnpike between Exits 351 (U.S. Route 1) and 358 (
U.S. Route 13U.S. Route 13 is a north–south U.S. highway established in 1926 that runs for from Interstate 95 just north of Fayetteville, North Carolina to the northeastern suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Morrisville. In all, it traverses five states in the Atlantic coastal plain region,...
) from 4 lanes to 6.
The third and final phase will consist of the building of a second bridge across the
Delaware RiverThe Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
, adjacent to the current one, that will allow eastbound and westbound traffic to solely utilize separate bridge spans. In this respect, the design is similar to that of the
Delaware Memorial BridgeThe Delaware Memorial Bridge is a set of twin suspension bridges crossing the Delaware River. The toll bridges carry Interstate 295 and U.S. Route 40 between Delaware and New Jersey...
.
Changes in route designation
Once construction is completed, signage will be changed for affected highways. The changes are outlined as follows:
| Highway Section |
Current Designation |
Proposed Designation |
I-95 from PA Turnpike, across the Scudder Falls BridgeThe Scudder Falls Bridge is a girder bridge that carries Interstate 95 over the Delaware River, connecting Lower Makefield Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with Ewing Township in Mercer County, New Jersey. This bridge, which was constructed from 1958 to 1959, is maintained by the Delaware...
into Mercer County, NJ, and continuing to I-295 (exit 67) in Lawrenceville |
I-95 |
I-195 |
| I-295 from Exit 67 in Lawrenceville to exit 60 east of Trenton |
I-295 |
I-195 |
PA Turnpike from new interchange in Bristol Township to the Delaware River Turnpike BridgeThe Delaware River – Turnpike Toll Bridge is a four-lane steel arch-shaped suspended deck truss bridge that connects the Pennsylvania Turnpike's East-West Mainline with the main trunk of the New Jersey Turnpike, via the Pearl Harbor Memorial Extension...
|
I-276 |
I-95 |
NJ TurnpikeThe New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey, maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. According to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the Turnpike is the nation's sixth-busiest toll road and is among one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United...
Extension from Delaware River Turnpike Bridge to the mainline NJ Turnpike |
I-95 (unsigned) |
I-95 |