Over the years, firefighters have been called many times to
Richmond Street just under I-95 in Port Richmond.
There, where four rail lines cross the roadway, lurks a
long-haul trucker's nightmare - a set of trestles with low clearances and a
tendency to rip the tops off taller trailers. The solution, more often than
not, has been to flatten the rig's tires and gradually ease out the trapped
trailer.
All that is going to end, officials said Thursday, but
Richmond Street will be closed between Lehigh Avenue and Cambria Street
beginning Thursday for about two years to make it happen.
The state Department of Transportation said in a statement
that the four trestles over Richmond Street will be replaced as part of a $91.3
million project to improve streets and relocate utilities near the I-95/Girard
Avenue interchange.
PennDot spokesman Eugene Blaum said the work would increase
the clearance under the railroad tracks by more than 21/2 feet to 14 feet, 7
inches.
PennDot is rebuilding Richmond Street on a new alignment to
the east of the existing roadway to make room for a new ramp and other
improvements to I-95.
In conjunction with closing the section affected by the
trestle work, PennDot will shift Richmond Street traffic onto an already
relocated section between Schirra Street and Lehigh Avenue on Thursday.
The new section of Richmond Street will include two through
lanes, a center turn lane, tracks for SEPTA's Route 15 trolley, northbound and
southbound bicycle lanes, sidewalks, and decorative streetlights.
A long retaining wall with depictions of waterfront-themed
images will separate Richmond Street from the Conrail rail yard to its east.
Source: Philly.com
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