The project will use a $500 million federal grant the Shapiro Administration secured – the largest federal transportation grant ever received in Pennsylvania.
The I-83 South Bridge spans the Susquehanna River between Lemoyne Borough in Cumberland County and the City of Harrisburg in Dauphin County.
Harrisburg, PA – Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) publicly opened competitive bids and announced an apparent low bidder for the Interstate 83 John Harris Memorial (South) Bridge replacement project spanning the Susquehanna River in Lemoyne Borough, Cumberland County, and the City of Harrisburg, Dauphin County.
The apparent low bidder is a joint venture entity, comprised Joseph B. Fay Company and New Enterprise Stone & Lime Company, Inc., which submitted a low bid of $1,289,055,555.55.
“We are excited to take this important next step toward modernizing Interstate 83 in the Harrisburg area,” said PennDOT District 8 Executive Kevin Keefe. “This crossing not only serves a vital role in regional logistics, but it’s a necessary link in American supply chains. Replacing the South Bridge is one of the most critical infrastructure undertakings in Pennsylvania's history.”
An apparent low bidder is the entity or joint venture whose submitted price is the lowest when bids are initially opened by PennDOT prior to confirming responsiveness and contractor responsibility. PennDOT will now review the bid materials from the apparent low bidder. If the information is complete and in order, the construction contract will be awarded, and a notice to proceed issued within the next six to eight weeks.
In addition to the apparent low bid, a joint venture of Wagman Heavy Civil, Inc., J.D. Eckman, Inc. and Brayman Construction Corporation also submitted a bid of $1,586,266,706.63.
The South Bridge is nearing the end of its serviceable lifespan, which means that wear and tear on the bridge requires more regular, frequent, and costly repairs. In addition to the replacement of the bridge, the Lemoyne interchange will be reconfigured, the South Third Street bridge in Lemoyne will be replaced, and the viaduct from the Susquehanna River to Route 230 (Cameron Street) including the Front Street/2nd Street interchange will be reconstructed. The purpose of the I-83 South Bridge Project is to improve traffic flow and safety around the Harrisburg metro region.
The nearly $1.3 billion project cost is substantially offset by a $500 million federal grant the Shapiro Administration secured from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2024. The grant is the largest federal transportation-project grant in state history.
The project contractor is required to include 10 trainees from PennDOT’s On-the-Job Training Program during project construction.
Construction is expected to begin in 2027 and last through 2039 PennDOT will issue a news release before construction starts.
Visit the project page for more information about the I-83 John Harris Memorial (South) Bridge Project.
Significant traffic impacts are expected during the life of the South Bridge and both I-83 East Shore Section 3 projects, including traffic shifts, lane restrictions, and road closures/detours. Advance notice will be issued prior to any major traffic impacts.
Travelers can check conditions on major roads 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 regional X alerts.
Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.pa.gov/DOTprojects. Subscribe to PennDOT news and find transportation results in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, and York counties at www.pa.gov/DOTdistrict8.
Find PennDOT news on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
MEDIA CONTACT: Mike Crochunis, mcrochunis@pa.gov or 717-418-5017
# # #
Please refer to the location map below:
