HARRISBURG, Pa. — The I-83 South Bridge was built in 1960 and has since been a major connector for Dauphin and Cumberland counties, carrying more than 125,000 vehicles over the Susquehanna River every day.
The bridge’s weight rating has been downgraded over the years and Pennsylvania leaders believe it’s to get it replaced.
The big project has a big price tag of $1.1 to $1.3 billion.
"This is a great day for Pennsylvania," said Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg joined Shapiro to announce that the federal government will provide $500 million to help complete a more than $1.1 billion project to replace the bridge vital to travel and commerce.
"So many of the goods that Americans count on come through the keystone state," Buttigieg said. "We’re working on thousands of bridges across the country, but there’s a small handful that are among the most economically significant in America. This I-83 South Bridge is one of those. It is a critical link in supply chains."
The funding comes as a grant from the Federal Highway Administration’s Bridge Investment Program.
"This is the largest federal grant for a single transportation project in Pennsylvania history," Shapiro said. "This is a big deal."
The new bridge will replace the existing 64-year-old structure that state officials said is reaching the end of its lifespan.
PennDOT said the new bridge will feature wider shoulders and on-ramps, improving traffic and safety.
Buttigieg said it will be built to last.
"We’re very focused right now on resilience," he said. "Building bridges, roads and other pieces of infrastructure for the environment we’re going to be living in and putting to use all the lessons that we’ve learned since 20, 40, 60, 100 years ago when the old bridges went up."
Governor Shapiro promised the new bridge would not be tolled and boasted about the jobs it would create.
"They’re betting on these workers to be able to step up and do this job and they will do it well," Shapiro said.
PennDOT said construction on the I-83 South Bridge is expected to begin in 2026 and will take two to three years.
PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said traffic lanes will be maintained during the construction to prevent delays. He said the plan is to complete the new bridge before tearing down the existing one.