Construction Update: Spring 2020

Markley Street Construction Resumes on the Northbound Side

Spring 2020 – Construction has resumed on the project to reconstruct and improve Markley Street (U.S. 202 South) and its intersections between Main Street and Elm Street in Norristown, Montgomery County, following a work stoppage in March and April due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Work crews returned in mid-April with a COVID-19 Health and Safety Plan in place that requires all construction and inspection personnel to follow mandated protocols for worker/social distancing, health monitoring, and personal protection equipment (PPE).

During Stage 1A construction this spring, the contractor is focused on installing or relocating above ground and subsurface utilities in the work area, installing segments of the project’s improved stormwater drainage system, and constructing the northbound half of the bridge over Stony Creek between Airy and Marshall streets.

Crews have set up a temporary stream bypass to allow for the construction of abutment walls for the new northbound span. Abutment wall construction, which will be followed by beam setting and deck construction for the northbound half of the new bridge this summer, begins once the existing northbound structure over the creek is removed.

Markley Street is closed to northbound traffic between Main Street and Elm Street during construction. Northbound U.S. 202 motorists heading to Markley Street are being detoured north on DeKalb Street (U.S. 202 North) in Bridgeport Borough to Johnson Highway in Norristown. Northbound motorists using the Dannehower Bridge will be required to turn east or west on Main Street in Norristown for the duration of construction.

After Stage 1A construction is completed in spring 2021, the contractor will rebuild the southbound side of Markley Street, including replacing the southbound bridge over Stony Creek, Stage 1B, followed by the widening of Main Street between Water Street and Barbadoes Street. In 2021, Main Street construction will start on the north side, then move to the south side, and finish with the middle section.

Alan Myers, LP, of Worcester, Montgomery County is the general contractor on the $23,925,515 project which is financed with 80 percent federal and 20 percent state funds. Construction on the entire project is expected to be completed in 2023.