The Market Street Bridge in Harrisburg
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation again has tweaked its proposed design for the rehabilitation of the Market Street Bridge, adding a separate bike/pedestrian crossing.
In this latest proposal, a 14-foot wide bicycle and pedestrian path would be built on top of a utility bridge that would be constructed along the south side of the bridge.
A rendering of the proposed utility bridge, with bicycle/pedestrian lanes
The Market Street Bridge actually consists of two separate bridges. A 95-year-old stone arch eastern span connects Harrisburg to City Island and is on the National Register of Historic Places. A concrete “box beam” western span links Wormleysburg/Lemoyne to City Island.
In late 2021, PennDOT first proposed rehabilitating the entire bridge. Then, in May 2022, the agency proposed adding a separate utility bridge, which would carry utilities now housed beneath the bridge’s sidewalks.
According to PennDOT, building a separate utility bridge would cut overall construction time significantly, from about 10 years to five to six years, while allowing easier access for future utility work. The utility bridge would be built first, so bicyclists and pedestrians would be able to cross the river while work proceeds on the main bridge.
Otherwise, the project proposes four, 10-foot travel lanes, similar to current conditions on the Market Street Bridge. In addition, the main bridge would continue to have a sidewalk, despite the construction of the separate utility bridge with bike/pedestrian paths.
The eastern bridge would expand the existing upstream sidewalk width by 1 foot, and shoulders would be added. For the western bridge, shoulders and a 7-foot-wide upstream sidewalk would be constructed. The downstream sidewalks for both bridges would be eliminated.
A rendering of the south side of the historic Market Street Bridge, with a separate utility bridge
PennDOT anticipates that construction would begin “as early as 2025.”
Reached by phone, local bike advocate Ross Willard said that he applauds PennDOT’s decision to offer biking and pedestrian access on the proposed utility bridge. However, he’s puzzled why the agency wants to build a separate utility bridge when a possible alternative–the unused CAT (Cumberland Valley Railroad) bridge–is just a few hundred feet downriver.
“We’re happy that they’re trying to save time, and we’re happy to have bike and pedestrian access,” he said. “We thought it would be better to use the existing CAT bridge.”
In fact, just last year, the Harrisburg Area Transportation Study (HATS) put rehab of the CAT bridge on its five-year priority list for transformation to a linear park, focused on bike and pedestrian access, at an estimated cost of $22.5 million.
Meanwhile, PennDOT’s estimated cost of the Market Street Bridge rehab has ballooned from $63.8 million, before the proposed addition of the utility bridge, to $113.6 million today, over the course of about 18 months.
PennDOT is accepting comments on its proposal through July 18. It also plans to hold an in-person open house on July 12, 6 to 8 p.m., at Knisely Hall, 127 S. 2nd St., Wormleysburg.
For more information on the Market Street rehabilitation plan, visit the project website.
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