Project Status
Step 2 of 4
Design
Next Step: Construction
Project Overview
County: Chester
Municipality: Borough of Downingtown
State Routes: U.S. 322, Route 3070 (Business U.S. 30)
Local Names: Lancaster Avenue
Project Type: Bridge Rehabilitation
MPMS Number: 86301
Proposed Construction Start: TBD
Proposed Construction End: TBD
Last Updated: August 2026
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) proposes rehabilitating the Lancaster Avenue Bridge (U.S. 322/Business U.S. 30) over the East Branch of Brandywine Creek in the Borough of Downingtown, Chester County. The existing bridge is a four-span, closed-spandrel reinforced-concrete arch bridge built in 1921. The bridge has a total length of 211 feet from end to end of wing walls with an out-to-out width of 54 feet. The structure carries three lanes of traffic with flanking sidewalks and balustrade railings. The bridge is in poor condition, and we are proposing to rehabilitate it. It is in poor condition due to extensive spalling of the spandrel walls, arch barrels, and sidewalk/spandrel wall interface. Large void areas are present in the existing earthfill below the pavement, and the balustrade railings exhibit outward-leaning sections. There are widespread areas of cracked, delaminated, and spalled concrete on the substructure units. The bridge is currently weight-restricted to a maximum limit of 36 tons, except for combination vehicles of 40 tons. U.S. 322 is classified as a principal arterial highway with an ADT of 14,698 vehicles per day (2017).
The project scope is to rehabilitate the bridge by removing and replacing the sidewalks and balustrade railings, overhang brackets, portions of the spandrel walls and piers, performing concrete repairs, replacing the earth fill with lightweight concrete fill, and placing a new bituminous wearing surface. The existing balustrade railings will be replicated with a precast concrete balustrade railing system with an exposed aggregate finish to match the existing railing finish. The sidewalks will be 6’-0” wide (transparent), and a new PA Type 10M bridge barrier will be placed between the roadway and the sidewalks. The new bridge will be 1’-6” wider on each side due to the addition of the PA Type 10M bridge barriers (57’-0” proposed out-to-out width). The bridge brackets will be reconstructed long enough to support the wider superstructure. Also included in the scope of work is resetting the existing light fixtures, salvaging, restoring, and reinstalling the existing bridge plaques, placing scour protection as needed, and replacing the modern balustrade railing in the adjacent plaza with a railing that matches the one to be used on the bridge.
This project will proceed after the competition of the Boot Road over Amtrak Bridge Replacement Project and after the construction of the Downingtown Station project.
Contact Information
Kalpesh Parikh
Project Manager
c-kparikh@pa.gov
Accessibility
The project documents can be made available in alternative languages or formats if requested. If you need translation or interpretation services, have special needs, or have concerns that require individual attention, please contact the Project Manager listed above.
Title VI
Pursuant to the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, PennDOT does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. If you feel that you have been denied the benefits of, or participation in a PennDOT program or activity, you may contact the PennDOT, Bureau of Equal Opportunity, DBE/Title VI Division at 717-787-5891.