January 13, 2025
From completed projects to competitive grants awarded to the region, DVRPC takes a look back at all that was accomplished in 2024.
In 2024, the DVRPC region accomplished numerous large transportation improvement milestones, thanks to a collaborative effort from people, departments, agencies, and organizations across the region and beyond, supported by historic levels of funding from the federal government, state, and local sources. Multiple large-scale construction projects were completed, significant additional funding to the region was secured, and many new transportation projects broke ground.
Across the 9-county region, at least:
- 16 bridges were repaired, replaced, or preserved;
- 193 miles of roadway were improved by department or partner crews; and
- 49 construction contracts for highway, bridge, and other improvement projects were executed.
Notable completed projects include:
- U.S. 1/Roosevelt Expressway Viaduct Rehabilitation, Philadelphia ($107.2 million)
- 27th Street Safety Improvements and Reconstruction, Camden City ($10 million)
- Route 15 Trolley Revitalization, Philadelphia ($90 million)
- Rowan University Fossil Park Entrance Road/Mantua Blvd Extension, Mantua Township, Gloucester County ($12 million)
- Route 41/Route 926 Roundabout Safety Improvement Project, Londonderry Township, Chester County ($6.3 million).
Large-scale construction projects that made significant progress include:
- NJDOT Route 295/42/I-76 Direct Connection, Camden County ($192 million)
- Phase 3 of the construction phase of this major highway interchange project and final design of phase 4 are underway. Upon completion, this project will establish a safer and more direct connection between NJDOT routes 295, 42, and I-76.
- U.S. 1 Improvement Project, Bucks County ($111 million)
- This project, separated into 3 sections, will reconstruct and widen U.S. 1 from south of the Rockhill Drive Interchange to north of the Penndel/Business U.S. 1 Interchange, and replace several bridges. The second phase is nearing completion with the new northbound U.S. 1 bridge over the Neshaminy Creek mostly constructed. Remaining work through mid-2025 will focus on completing the roadway section of the contract, including widening U.S. 1 to three lanes in each direction between the new bridges. The third and final phase is in final design.
- Coatesville Train Station, City of Coatesville, Chester County ($65 million)
- The new Coatesville train station will serve the Amtrak Keystone Line and SEPTA’s Paoli/Thorndale Regional Rail Line. The station is expected to be completed in fall 2025, featuring state-of-the-art facilities, including accessible platforms, elevators, security systems, and a new parking garage. The parking facility will have 300 spaces and will integrate bus transportation improvements, including covered waiting shelters, bike racks, lighting, and wayfinding signage.
- U.S. 422 Improvement Project, Lower Pottsgrove Township, Montgomery County, ($83.6 million)
- Section M1B of this project involves the total reconstruction of 1.64 miles of U.S. 422 from the Sanatoga Interchange to the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks just west of Porter Road. Construction began in late 2023, and is now focused on replacing the U.S. 422 bridge over Sanatoga Road and Sanatoga Creek. This will be followed by the construction of a new bridge over Porter Road and Sprogels Run.
- Route 29 Boulevard Local Concept Development Study, Trenton, Mercer County ($1.016 million)
- This project will study the potential transformation of the Route 29 freeway to an urban boulevard, which would improve traffic safety and change the area from a heavily automobile based environment to a connected district for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians. The study will consider resilience against flooding, opportunities for recreational access to the Delaware River, and potential to revitalize the downtown Trenton area and reconnect the city with the Delaware River Waterfront.
- Route 291 Complete Streets Improvements, Chester City, Delaware County ($36 million)
- A study was completed for this corridor in March 2024, highlighting several ways to improve safety and multimodal access. PennDOT completed an initial $434,000 project in summer 2024 that painted large speed limit signs on Route 291/13, added high visibility crosswalks, and installed flex posts on medians. This corridor was awarded a $2.5 million Reconnecting Communities grant to support the redesign of Route 291 in the City of Chester, which will supplement the federally funded PA 291 Complete Streets: Irving Street to Ridley Creek project. These projects will provide safety improvements to all road users and construct a multi-use sidepath that will be designated as part of the East Coast Greenway.
- Route 70, Route 38 to Cooper Avenue Project, Pennsauken and Cherry Hill townships, Camden County, and Evesham Township, Burlington County ($155 million)
- The project will mill, resurface, and reconstruct 8.8 miles of deteriorated pavement along Route 70 from Route 38 to Cooper Avenue and all of NJDOT’s jughandles within those project limits. It will upgrade all traffic signals to adaptive technology, upgrade intersections to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), address drainage issues, and improve pedestrian safety along the corridor.
- 2024 IIJA Competitive Grants Awarded to the DVRPC Region:
- 29 grants totaling up to $1,328,795,128
- $12.18 million awarded in EPA Clean School Bus Program funding for the region
- Nearly $10 million awarded in Safe Streets For All (SS4A) planning and implementation grants for the region
- $158 million of Reconnecting Communities awarded to the Chinatown Stitch in the City of Philadelphia
- $317 million FTA Rail Replacement Grant awarded to SEPTA for its Market-Frankford Rail Car Replacement project
- $47 million Bridge Investment Program grant awarded to Mercer County for the Lincoln Ave Bridge over Amtrak and Assunpink Creek
- $397 million of FRA Intercity Passenger Rail Program for the Northeast Corridor funding awarded to AMTRAK for infrastructure upgrades to an 18-mile segment of the Keystone Line between the Zoo and Paoli substations
- $217.2 million MEGA grant awarded to Philaport’s Southport Terminal Operational Capacity project
- $139 million in new funding for Circuit Trails was also allocated throughout the region from multiple sources, including Carbon Reduction funding in the FY2025 PA TIP and other federal, state, and local sources.
DVRPC is excited to recognize all the hard work that has improved our region last year, and we look forward to building on these accomplishments in 2025.