Scudder Falls Bridge - ACT Engineers

Location:
- Bucks County, Pennsylvania & Mercer County, New Jersey
Project Features:
- Transportation Infrastructure Improvements - Bridge Replacement
- Construction Management & Inspection
- Environmental Compliance Monitoring
- Assessment & Multi-media Sampling
- Geodetic Control Surveying
- Topographic Surveying
- Utility Surveying
- Hydrographic Surveying
ACT's Role:
- Public Outreach
- Geodetic Control Survey
- Topographic & Utility Surveys
- Phase I Environmental Site Assessments
- Hazardous Material Surveys
- Sturgeon & Red Belly Turtle Survey
- Temperature Gauging

The Scudder Falls Bridge Replacement project includes the replacement of the existing I-95 bridge over the Delaware River with new northbound and southbound structures, 4.4 miles of approach roadway improvements and reconfiguration of the Taylorsville Road Interchange in PA and Route 29 Interchange in NJ and a bike/pedestrian pathway on the southbound structure.

ACT was part of the DRJTBC design team tasked with providing construction management and construction inspection services for contract T-661A, Capital Project 0301A, Subsurface Boring and Sampling Contract for Scudder Falls Bridge Replacement Project. As part of the project, ACT oversaw the drilling and sampling of over 325 soil borings and 100 pavement cores required for final design of the bridge. Borings were required in designing noise walls, grade separation walls, pedestrian bridge, retaining walls, main bridge, approach bridge, sign structures, etc.

ACT’s Survey department prepared a topographic and utility survey to support the boundary and right of way survey. ACT also completed a hydrographic survey of the Delaware and Raritan Feeder Canal in areas of proposed utility crossings, and as part of the bridge redesign, ACT located groundwater monitoring wells for the proposed freshwater wetlands mitigation plan due to anticipated construction disturbance.

ACT also provided Phase I Environmental Site Assessments on multiple properties including soil sampling associated with property acquisitions and demolition planning. ACT’s activities included Clean Fill sediment certification, coordination of Asbestos and Lead Containing Paint surveys and removal as required during bridge construction activities.

ACT performs ongoing environmental compliance monitoring which includes the monitoring of shortnose sturgeon, weekly temperature gauging and water quality, identifying potential Redbelly Turtle basking structures, and inspection of Erosion and Sediment Control measures. These monitoring activities help to to ensure that the project is not adversely impacting the aquatic environment.

ACT coordinated public outreach informing the public and stakeholders of the preliminary bridge replacement design and impacts for the filing of an Environmental Assessment to the US Department of Transportation for the preferred design alternative. ACT also arranged for the Public Hearing and recorded comments at the hearing, prepared and distributed to the Commission for their review ACT Engineers was responsible for creating a database of public officials, stakeholders and residents and advising them of project impacts and maintaining the project hotline. The hotline was monitored and project inquiries were logged and responses provided within a 24-hour time frame. A project website was also set up and maintained. ACT also coordinated publication of the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) in local newspapers advising the public of documents available for public review.