TPD was selected by PennDOT as part of a District 6-0 Multi-Bridge Contract to design the rehabilitation for the Limekiln Pike Bridge, located on the border of Montgomery and Horsham Townships, carrying S.R. 0152 over Little Neshaminy Creek. Limekiln Pike is a Community Arterial that carries over 9,500 vehicles per day (2011), with projections for growth to almost 11,500 vehicles per day (2030).
The bridge is a two-span stone masonry arch structure originally constructed in 1838, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and also ranked highly on PennDOT’s Project Keystone Stone Arch Bridge Management Plan. Due to its deteriorated condition, a reduced weight limit was enforced.
For the rehabilitation, TPD performed traffic studies and an accident history was developed and investigated in order to quantify any safety concerns. Proposed safety improvements, along with modifications to lane and shoulder striping across the bridge provided additional safety measures to allow the bridge to be rehabilitated, without the need to widen the structure.
Following the resolution of the safety issues, the scope of the rehabilitation was developed to eliminate the existing weight limit restrictions, while also minimizing impact to the historic significance of the bridge. Through collaboration with PennDOT, the PA Historical and Museum Commission, Horsham Township, Montgomery Township, Montgomery Township Historical Society, and other state and local officials, TPD designed the rehabilitation. The resulting improvements to the bridge included:
-Removal of existing fill over arches and reconstruction/repair of arch rings
-Placement of lightweight concrete/flowable fill over the repaired arches
- Installation of a full width concrete moment slab and integral barrier system
- Miscellaneous arch, spandrel wall, and wingwall repairs
- Installment of a natural stone facing on the inside/outside of concrete barriers
- Cleaning and re-pointing of remaining stone masonry elements
- Restoration of existing damaged stone plaque per the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation
