The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation suddenly announced Wednesday night it was closing the Rt 420 bridge southbound in Prospect Park indefinitely after major structural issues were found, writes Frank Kummer for The Philadelphia Inquirer.  

An average of 19,270 vehicles cross the Wanamaker Avenue bridge each day and it’s a key connector to I-95 for motorists in Delaware County.

The Rt 420 bridge was first built in 1930, then rebuilt in 1951, but now bridge inspectors have found “significant beam and bearing pedestal deterioration.”  

It will remain closed “until bridge engineers develop a plan to repair the structure,” PennDOT reported.

A design for a replacement Rt 420 bridge had already been started by PennDOT and a bid for construction is expected to open in early 2023.

Until a new bridge is in place, motorists driving from the Prospect Park area heading toward Tinicum will have to take U.S. 13 (Chester Pike) west, turn left onto Stewart Avenue, then connect with I-95.

The bridge was one of 512 roadway bridges in the Philadelphia region with average traffic of 100 or more that had a “poor” rating in at least one of three components—deck, superstructure or substructure.

Read more about the 420 bridge closing at The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Find out about Pennsylvania’s historic bridges.