The Club again met via Zoom
with 17 memebrs in attendance … some enjoying a second cup of coffee!
We were luck to have Joe Donnelly
from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation join us virtually and provide an update on the progress of the Scudder Bridge Replacement Project.
The Delaware River Bridge Commission maintains some 20 bridges which cross the Delaware River. Unfortunately for our forefathers wuring teh Revolution, none of them were availabllle so American forces had to navigate teh icy river in boats to attack the British at Trenton in 1776.
A high level overview of teh project:
Construction Schedule
| Milestone/Activity | Date/Status |
|---|---|
| Project Construction Start | Spring 2017 |
| Install temporary trestle upstream of the existing bridge | Completed/fully removed |
| Construct upstream span of the new bridge | Completed |
| Widening (to the inside) of the PA I-295 approach – from Exit 8 (old exit 49) to the bridge | Upstream half completed/second phase now in progress |
| First span of new bridge open to traffic | Opened overnight July 9, 2019 |
| Start All-Electronic Tolling (PA-bound only) | July 14, 2019 |
| Second span of new bridge open to traffic | Late 2021 |
| Estimated Project Completion | Early 2022 |
Joe share the following ore recent updates:
- Beginning June 1st, fand or approzimately 3 weeks, the ramps from I-295 to and from Taylorsville Road will be closed as work will continue 24/7 to complete the new I-295 overpass and ramps comstruction. Peopl ewill be detoured via PA Route 332 north to the Washignton Crossing or New Hope Route 202 bridges of south through Yardley to one of the several bridges to Trenton.
- The Walkway and bike lane on the PA side of teh northern span should be open for sightseeing during this coming summer and teh NJ side in 2021.
- The second, southern, bridge should be open by August 2021.
- The entire project was budgeted ag more than $500 million, with $390 milion ofr the bridge construciton.
- Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, theproject was shut down for a brief period before a waiver to begin work again was received.
The Club thanksed Joe for his time and wished that he could join us for a subsequent update at a future time.
Issues also duscussed inlcuded:
- Club donations to the Leukemia and Lymphoms Society
- Hope Lodge
- William Dick School
- The selection for our Neshaminy Student-of-the-Year scholarship and the logistics of making the notification to the student and "presentaiton" during the coroniaaaavirus shutdown.
- Future fundraisersss, including a Virtual Walk, Major Raffle, Virtual Auction and Golf Outing; all of which could be planned and brought to fruiting over teh next 12-18 months.
- Schdeuling and additional Zoom meeting on June 24th for the "changing of the guard" when Bob Morris will once again take th epresidential reins from current president Jeff Revak. Other Officers, Board Members and Committee Charis will besworn in at th at time.
- Alan recommended that as loong as virutal meetings are the norm, we plan on at least once a month having abusiness-only meeting.
- A virtual Fundraising Committee meeting is also needed.
- The Club agreed to pay for a one-yeaar subscription for Zoom so that longer and even additional virtual meetings can be scheduled during, and even after, the COVID-19 Rhelter-in-Place restirctions ar elifted.