Plans for South St. Bridge still TBA

Issue date: 8/7/08 Section: News

Plans for South St. Bridge still TBA

Officials call Bridge reconstruction top priority, final plans have yet to be announced

Lara Seligman

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Media Credit: Andrew Townley/DP Staff Photographer

South Street Bridge renovation plans call for complete demolition and rebuilding of the 85-year-old Philadelphia landmark. The plans for reconstruction have been in discussion since 1995.have been in discussion since 1995.

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While rebuilding the 85-year-old bridge that connects Penn with Center City is still a top priority for Philadelphia, the starting date for the project has yet to be announced.

Plans for reconstruction of the bridge have been in the works since 1995. According to a recent article in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Streets Department chief engineer for surveys and design Dave Perri said that the $54 million project is expected to go out to bid before the school year starts.

Once the project gets a bidder, the bridge will be demolished. After demolition, it is estimated that reconstruction of the bridge will take up to two years, said Perri.

"This bridge is the number one safety concern of all the bridges in Philadelphia," said Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter's press secretary Doug Oliver. "As far as infrastructure issues, this is high priority."

Oliver said that since Nutter's administration has been in office, completing the project has been a top priority. However, he added that taking the time to allow "an opportunity for everyone to have their voice be heard" has further delayed finalizing the plans.

And recently, community members have been critical of the reconstruction design proposed by the city.

"The community groups and the administration have met several times," said Oliver. He added that while no final solution has been reached, "we are close to a point where ... we have something to announce."

This past March, the South Street Bridge Coalition commissioned urban planning firm Wallace Roberts & Todd L.L.C. to put forward a modification plan to the city's original redesign. However, so far the city has not included these changes in their plans for the bridge.

Continued...

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