HENDERSON ROAD RAMPS

The Henderson Road Ramps Project involves the construction of new ramps to connect westbound I-76 (Schuylkill Expressway) with Henderson Road and South Gulph Road in Upper Merion Township. Construction on the $10.5 million project began on December 1st, 2009, and is expected to be completed in June 2012. The project is financed entirely with federal funds secured through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, and the construction is being performed by Glasgow, Inc. of Glenside. These new ramps will provide easier access for travel between westbound I-76 and Henderson Road and South Gulph Road. They will also provide motorists with another option to reach Upper Merion besides using the existing Gulph Mills and US 202 interchanges with I-76.

Construction on the Henderson Road Ramps Project is being staged to minimize traffic impacts of the project. The first stage of the project began in December 2009, and involves the construction of a new on-ramp from the intersection of Henderson Road and South Gulph Road to I-76 Westbound, a new sound wall along the on-ramp, relocation of utilities, widening of South Gulph Road. Two lanes of South Gulph Road have been shifted to the northbound side of the roadway, and a temporary barrier has been installed to separate the work area from traffic. This traffic pattern, with one lane of traffic in each direction along South Gulph Road, will be maintained for the remainder of the project. The new on-ramp is expected to be completed in November 2010, at which point it will be open to traffic and the existing on-ramp from South Gulph Road to I-76 Westbound will be removed.

The second stage of the project will begin when the widening of South Gulph Road is completed, and includes the completion of drainage, curb, and sidewalk installation along South Gulph Road, along with the widening of a short portion of Henderson Road. Much of this project will be done concurrently with the first stage. The final stage of the project will construct the new off-ramp from I-76 Westbound to Henderson and South Gulph Roads. The new off-ramp is expected to be completed and open to traffic by November 2011, at which point all traffic controls for the project will be removed. Finally, roadside landscaping work will then be undertaken and completed by June 2012.

HENDERSON ROAD RAMPS PROJECT BACKGROUND

In 1988, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) and Upper Merion Township launched an effort to study options for improving alternative vehicular access to the township. Rapid growth within the King of Prussia area was creating congestion at existing access points to the township. DVRPC and Upper Merion, after an extensive study on points of entry to the township, determined that the best alternative was to create new on and off-ramps from Henderson Road to I-76 Westbound, near the location of an existing slip ramp from South Gulph Road to I-76 Westbound.

In the late 1990’s, Upper Merion Transportation Authority began funding preliminary design and engineering and the environmental clearance process for new on and off slip ramps from I-76 Westbound to Henderson Road. Boles, Smyth Associates Incorporated became the design engineer on the project. Right-of-Way acquisition and Final Design for the project were completed in 2005, funded by PennDOT. As the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was making its way through the US Congress in early 2009, PennDOT approached each of the counties in the state regarding projects that they would recommend for funding. Given that Henderson Road Ramps was one of the few “shovel-ready” projects in Southeastern PA and recognizing the positive benefit for congestion reduction, Montgomery County made the project its top priority for funding through ARRA.