THE BURLINGTON-BRISTOL BATTLE (PART 1): The need for a new high-level river crossing in the vicinity of the existing Burlington-Bristol Bridge has been recognized for many years. As early as 1963, the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) prepared a report, "Delaware River Crossing Needs," that recommended a new high-level highway bridge near the site of the existing bridge. The comprehensive report also called for the Betsy Ross and Commodore Barry bridges, both of which were constructed in the 1970's.
By the mid-1960's, various local and regional agencies, including the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), the New Jersey State Highway Department and the Pennsylvania Department of Highways urged construction of a new expressway between I-95 (Delaware Expressway) in Bristol, Pennsylvania and I-295 near Mount Holly, New Jersey.
The Federal Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) added the proposed 6.4-mile-long expressway - Interstate 895 - to the Interstate highway system in 1968. The new I-895 was to not only provide a new crossing of the Delaware River, but also serve as part of a northern bypass of the Philadelphia-Camden metropolitan area.
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) described the route in an environmental impact statement as follows:
The proposed route will become part of the Interstate system, and will be designated I-895 when completed. It begins at I-95 in Pennsylvania, and ends with a connection to I-295 in New Jersey. Most of the project will be built on earth embankment with some depressed sections, but a considerable length will be of viaduct and bridge construction, in order to obtain a high-level crossing of the Delaware River and to satisfy particular land use.
The DVRPC added:
Interstate 895, which includes a proposed multi-span Delaware River bridge, would provide a link between the Delaware Expressway (I-95) in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and Interstate 295 in Burlington County, New Jersey. Considered a replacement for the existing river crossing between Burlington, New Jersey and Bristol, Pennsylvania, this high-level structure would, in combination with I-295, the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-276) and the Mid-County Expressway (I-476), complete an outer circumferential route for the heavily urbanized portion of the region.
The expressway was to be constructed within a 300-foot-wide right-of-way, narrowing to 150 feet wide along bridge and viaduct sections. It was to provide six lanes of traffic (three in each direction), inner and outer shoulders, and a variable median. Interchanges were to be constructed for I-95 / PA 413 (at the current EXIT 40) and US 13 in Pennsylvania, and for US 130 and I-295 (near the current EXIT 47) in New Jersey.
East of I-295, I-895 was to continue as the NJ 72 Freeway, providing access to the New Jersey Turnpike (near the current EXIT 5) and interior Burlington County.
The new Burlington-Bristol Bridge was to also carry six traffic lanes. The following two designs were proposed for the new bridge:
A multiple-span, box-girder bridge with a main span of 500 feet and a vertical clearance of 135 feet.
A cable-stay bridge with a main span of 1,000 feet and a vertical clearance of 135 feet.
Early on, community groups feared that the proposed expressway would tear through the established communities of Bristol and Burlington. Concerns were also raised that the proposed I-895 would benefit development interests that were tied to New Jersey politicians. During public hearings, the NJDOT and PennDOT presented two alternative route alignments: the "green (northern) corridor" through mostly residential-zoned and park areas, and the "red (southern) corridor" through industrial-zoned areas.
In 1973, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the successor agency to the BPR, selected the "red corridor" for I-895. Two years later, Governor Brendan Byrne of New Jersey signed a bill authorizing construction of the bridge and its approaches. However, Governor Milton Shapp of Pennsylvania objected to the new bridge until provision was made for a connection to I-95 in Bristol. In response, the Burlington County Bridge Commission adopted a resolution that they would be responsible for building the I-895 connection to I-95.
In 1973, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the successor agency to the BPR, selected the "red corridor" for I-895. Two years later, Governor Brendan Byrne of New Jersey signed a bill authorizing construction of the bridge and its approaches. However, Governor Milton Shapp of Pennsylvania objected to the new bridge until provision was made for a connection to I-95 in Bristol. In response, the Burlington County Bridge Commission adopted a resolution that they would be responsible for building the I-895 connection to I-95.
The new I-895 was originally scheduled for completion by 1978, and its cost was estimated at $84 million. Since the entire route was a Federally-funded Interstate highway project - the Federal government was to contribute 90 percent of the construction cost, while the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania were to contribute the remaining 10 percent - no tolls were to be charged on the route. Traffic projections were estimated at 40,000 vehicles per day (AADT) by 1980, rising to 65,000 vehicles per day by 1993.
Throughout the 1970's and early 1980's, the I-895 proposal faced an uphill battle due to rising construction costs and pressure to divert funds to mass transit. In 1981, the NJDOT and PennDOT canceled I-895, trading in the $180 million in Interstate funds for mass transit projects in New Jersey, and for the Exton Bypass (US 30), the Newtown Bypass (US 1) and the Pottstown Expressway (US 422) in Pennsylvania.
THE BURLINGTON-BRISTOL BATTLE (PART 2): In 1987, the Republican-run Burlington County Bridge Commission, which operates the Burlington-Bristol Bridge, revived plans to construct a new $165 million fixed span to replace the existing bridge. The replacement bridge had the support of many residents on both sides of the Delaware River, but was opposed by the Democratic mayors of Bristol and Burlington, who feared that the bridge approaches would destroy homes and businesses. However, no specific mention of reviving I-895 was made in this proposal.
In December 1988, the engineering consultant to the Burlington County Bridge Commission recommended the replacement of the Burlington-Bristol Bridge, arguing that a new span would offer motorists safer, wider lanes, would eliminate delays caused by bridge openings, and would alleviate traffic congestion. An engineering consultant hired by the city of Burlington disagreed with the need for a new bridge. Bridge proponents received another setback when PennDOT announced that it would not support the proposed bridge and its approaches.
The bridge battle, which inexorably became a battle over Burlington County politics, was decided in the polls in November 1990. Voters in Burlington County narrowly defeated the proposed replacement for the Burlington-Bristol Bridge.
VESTIGES OF I-895: The decision not to construct I-895 was the reason why a southbound exit ramp for EXIT 40 (PA 413) on I-95 (Delaware Expressway) in Bristol was never built. It would have been built as part of the more complex expansion of the interchange between I-95, I-895 and PA 413. Even after I-895 and the new Burlington-Bristol Bridge proposals were dropped, it took PennDOT about a decade to finally build the ramp. In October 1999, PennDOT opened the southbound EXIT 40 ramp to traffic.
On the New Jersey side of the Delaware River, a wide, wooded median on I-295 just north of EXIT 47 (Burlington CR 541) hint at a possible location of the I-295 / I-895 interchange in Mount Holly.
SOURCES: "Richman Signals New Round in Row Over Bridge," The Phildaelphia Inquirer (7/13/1964); 1985 Regional Transportation Plan, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (1969); New Jersey Highway Facts, New Jersey Department of Transportation (1969); "Board Seeks Local Reaction on Span Plans," The Philadelphia Inquirer (2/11/1971); "Burlington Officials Approve Plan for New Bristol Bridge," The Philadelphia Inquirer (2/25/1971); "Plan To Replace Bristol Span Called Time, Money Waste" by Richard V. Sabatini, The Philadelphia Inquirer (4/01/1971); Master Plan for Transportation, New Jersey Department of Transportation (1972); "Burlington Highway Link Approved," The New York Times (9/20/1973); "Interstate 895: Administrative Action Final Environmental Impact Statement and Section 4(f) Statement," Federal Highway Administration, New Jersey Department of Transportation and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (1973); "Bridge Access Road Is Approved" by Francis M. Lordan, The Phliadelphia Inquirer (12/12/1975); "New Burlington-Bristol Span OK'd," Philadelphia Daily News (12/23/1975); "Interstate 95," Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (1979); "Panel OK's Use of Road Funds," The Philadelphia Inquirer (717/1981); New Jersey Transportation Plan, New Jersey Department of Transportation (1981); "Schuylkill Carries the Load of Many Roads Left Unbuilt" by Paul Nussbaum, The Philadelphia Inquirer (8/19/1984); "Commission Pushes for New Bridge" by Douglas A. Campbell, The Philadelphia Inquirer (8/02/1990); "The Bridge Is a Controversy with a History" by Douglas A. Campbell, The Philadelphia Inquirer (10/28/1990); Jeff Kitsko; Scott Kozel; Raymond C. Martin; Scott Oglesby; Len Pundt; Sandy Smith; Rush Wickes.
