Henry Avenue Bridge Rehabilitation

Ralph Modjeski designed the Henry Avenue Bridge over the Wissahickon Creek in the early 20th Century. Today, however, ever-increasing traffic demands have resulted in deteriorating roadway deck conditions. And because the bridge is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, PennDOT sought the help Modjeski and Masters to develop solutions.

As active partners, our engineers met early with resource agencies such as PADEP, SHPO, and other stakeholders to facilitate consensus building. Next, M&M used the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation to identify acceptable concepts for the rehabilitation. Our technical experts developed a comprehensive solution to address both life-cycle and context sensitive concerns. This included a new latex modified concrete overlay for the roadway, partial deck replacement, and new watertight deck joints for sustained durability.

As part of the context sensitive solution, new sidewalks and substructure repairs used tinted concrete to match the original color. Aesthetic period lighting, selected by Philadelphia University and the residents of East Falls, was also incorporated into the final design. A short distance away from this historic arch bridge, M&M also provided similar bridge life-cycle services for the Henry Avenue bridges over SEPTA and CSX rails.

This successful project breathed new life into this iconic structure which will continue to serve the community well for years to come.