New Hope-Lambertville Bridge set to reopen to two-way traffic Friday after construction
After weeks of only serving drivers heading into Pennsylvania, the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge will fully reopen on Friday, Feb. 14, allowing two-way traffic.
The bridge was fully closed for about 10 days in January after a structural issue was discovered during a rehabilitation project that included sandblasting. Officials said crews found a steel pin that supports a critical joint on the bridge had rusted and deteriorated to the point it made the bridge unsafe for heavy loads.
The other pins on the bridge were then tested but found to be safe.
The 120-year-old bridge was initially expected to reopen this fall before those needed repairs were discovered.
When the shutdown ended on Jan. 23, the bridge allowed drivers from New Jersey to cross into Pennsylvania.
Business owners in the area were anxious about the bridge's closure and are now overjoyed that two-way crossings are returning.
"We're thrilled about what this means for our local business community and visitors – and it comes at the perfect time to visit Lambertville for a romantic Valentine's Day night out, a lovely day trip shopping, dining, and exploring, or a long, peaceful weekend away!" the Greater Lambertville Chamber of Commerce said in a Facebook post.
Home to the Bucks County Playhouse and several waterfront restaurants, New Hope, recently crowned a "rival to the Hamptons" by the New York Times, is a huge factor in tourism in the county. Lambertville is billed as "The Antiques Capital of New Jersey" and "New Jersey's most up-and-coming town."
Bridge traffic will shift to one lane in less busy hours
The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, which operates the bridge, announced that traffic will be restricted to a single lane during off-peak hours on weekdays only, for the next three weeks.
Between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., flaggers will direct drivers from either side across the bridge safely, one side at a time.
While these restrictions are in place, crews will be on the bridge removing construction platforms, installing architectural lighting and applying touch-up paint, the commission said.
Once work is fully complete, the DRJTBC plans a ceremony to formally rededicate the bridge.
