Philadelphia – City officials announced today that the complete closure and reconstruction activities of the Martin Luther King Drive Bridge, located between MLK Drive and Eakins Oval, will begin on Monday, March 27.  Advanced bridge closure notification signs will be posted on Monday, March 13 to announce the closure.  The existing bridge will remain closed to all vehicular and truck traffic, but it will remain open for use to pedestrians and cyclists until March 27. The bridge closure is expected to last until Spring 2025 for bridge construction activities.

Vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian detour signs will be posted to direct travelers around the worksite, as follows:

• Outbound Vehicular traffic will be redirected to Upper Spring Garden Street Bridge to I-76 WB to Montgomery Drive to Martin Luther King Drive.
• Inbound Vehicular traffic will be redirected to Sweetbriar Drive to Lansdowne Drive to 34^th Street to Spring Garden Street to Upper Spring Garden Street Bridge.
• Outbound Bicycle and Pedestrian traffic will be redirected to Upper Spring Garden Street Bridge to Mantua Avenue to 34^th Street to Lansdowne Drive to Sweetbriar Drive to Martin Luther King Drive.
• Inbound Bicycle and Pedestrian traffic will be redirected to Sweetbriar Drive to Lansdowne Drive to 34^th Street to Mantua Avenue to Upper Spring Garden Street Bridge.

The Schuylkill River Trail beneath the bridge will remain open and during certain stages of construction.  When construction activities are scheduled to occur over top of the trail, the trail will be temporarily closed for several months.  A trail detour will be posted directing travelers around the work area.  Advanced trail closure notification will be given via a future press release when schedule information is available.

The Martin Luther King Bridge Project involves the demolition and removal of the existing concrete bridge deck and barriers, and the construction of a new composite concrete bridge deck, barriers and railing, as well as rehabilitation work on the bridge superstructure and substructure, painting of the steel girders, roadway approach work, street lighting, ADA curb ramps, and other miscellaneous construction.

Reconstruction of the bridge was awarded to Haines & Kibblehouse, Inc. contractors.  Construction is expected to be completed by Spring 2025.  The value of the construction contract is $20.1M, and is being fully funded using Federal Dollars.