29th Street Bridge Over I-83 is Open to Traffic; 19th Street Bridge to be Closed Sunday Night

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today the new 29^th Street bridge spanning Interstate 83 and Norfolk Southern railroad tracks in the Harrisburg area is now open to traffic. The bridge was closed last July so it could be demolished and replaced as part of the ongoing initiative to reconstruct I-83 in the Harrisburg region. A detour associated with the closure has been lifted.

Weather permitting, the 19^th Street bridge will be closed the night of Sunday, October 26, so it can be replaced as part of the project. The closure will extend from Paxton Street to Greenwood Street. The ramp from northbound I-83 to 19^th Street also will be closed. The ramp from 19^th Street to northbound I-83 was closed in August and will remain closed until it is reconstructed. Long-term detours will be in place.

19^th Street (north and south): Travelers heading north on 19^th Street will take Paxton Street east to 29^th Street, 29^th Street north to Derry Street, and Derry Street west to 19^th Street. Travelers heading south on19^th Street will take Derry Street east to 29^th Street, 29^th Street south to Paxton Street, and Paxton Street west to 19^th Street.

Northbound I-83 to 19^th Street (north of closure): To access 19^th Street north of the closure, northbound I-83 travelers should continue north to Exit 45, go straight from the off-ramp onto 32^nd Street, go straight to Paxton Street, turn right on Paxton Street and head west to 29^th Street, turn right on 29^th Street, continue to Derry Street, then turn left on Derry Street and proceed to 19^th Street.

Northbound I-83 to 19^th Street (south of closure): To access 19^th Street south of the closure, northbound I-83 travelers should continue north to Exit 45, go straight from the off-ramp onto 32^nd Street, go straight to Paxton Street, turn right on Paxton Street and head west to 19^th Street.

19^th Street to northbound I-83: To access northbound I-83 from 19^th Street, travelers should take Paxton Street east to 32^nd Street, turn left on 32^nd Street, then turn right at Wayne Street and proceed to the ramp to northbound I-83.

19^th Street is expected to remain closed through next year, with the estimated opening sometime in late October. The ramps are expected to reopen in the spring of 2027.

The new 29^th Street bridge is a three-span structure that is 292 feet long and includes two 11-foot travel lanes. It includes a 6-foot, 8-inch sidewalk with a 6-foot shoulder on the west side, a 10-foot shared use lane for bikes and pedestrians protected by a 4-foot concrete barrier with a 4-foot shoulder on the east side. Protective fencing runs along the parapets on either side of the bridge.

The replacement of both the 29^th Street and 19^th Street bridges is part of East Shore Section 3 of the I-83 Capital Beltway Project.

This work is associated with the first of two contracts for East Shore Section 3 of the larger I-83 Capital Beltway Project. This contract includes widening and reconstructing portions of the I-83 roadway, construction of overhead bridges at 29th Street and 19th Street, construction of the new Cameron Street Interchange, removing the 13th Street interchange, and roadway improvements along the Cameron Street, 19th Street and 29th Street corridors.

There may be significant impacts to traffic during the life of this project, including traffic shifts, lane restrictions and road closures/detours. Advance notice will be issued prior to any major traffic impacts.

New Enterprise Stone and Lime Company, Inc., of New Enterprise, PA, is the contractor on this $154,627,000 project.

All work on this contract is expected to be completed by October 12, 2027.

The second East Shore Section 3 contract was recently awarded to J.D. Eckman, Inc. of Atglen, Chester County, PA, who submitted a low bid of $132,727,725.31. This contract is expected to be under construction from 2025 to 2028 and includes widening and reconstruction on I-83, construction of the 13^th Street bridge and approaches, and construction of the 17^th Street interchange and widening 17^th Street.

For more information about the East Shore Section 3 and the I-83 Capital Beltway Project, go to this new location at I-83 East Shore Section 3 | Department of Transportation | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The East Shore Section 3 construction contract map can be found here: ess3-contractdisplaymaprevaugust2025reduced.pdf.

East Shore Section 2, which includes widening I-83 from just south of the Union Deposit Interchange to 29th Street and includes the reconstruction of the Eisenhower Interchange and portions of US 322, I-283, and Eisenhower Boulevard, will consist of five contracts, the first of which is expected to go to construction in 2028, with the entire project completion estimated around 2040. For more information about East Shore Section 2, go to I-83 East Shore Section 2 | Department of Transportation | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The East Shore Section 2 construction map can be found here: sr0083-078seq-of-constr-contract-graphic2025-august-for-website.pdf.

Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,200 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following local alerts on X.

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Information about infrastructure in District 8, including completed work and significant projects, is available at District 8 Results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at PennDOT Projects.

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