NORRISTOWN, PA — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has completed a major $7.9 million rehabilitation of the historic stone arch bridge carrying Elm Street and Markley Street (U.S. 202 South) over Stony Creek in Norristown, marking the final phase of a decade-long infrastructure overhaul along the busy U.S. 202 corridor.
The 147-year-old structure underwent extensive repairs beginning in early 2024, including restoration of the arch barrels, widening, and full-depth repaving of both Markley and Elm streets. The project also added modern safety and accessibility upgrades such as new guiderail, signage, ADA-compliant curb ramps, adaptive traffic signals, and replacement of underground water and sewer mains.
PennDOT completed the work in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties to preserve the bridge’s architectural character while extending its lifespan.
This milestone concludes more than ten years of phased reconstruction along three miles of the Markley Street/U.S. 202 South corridor. Previous segments rebuilt intersections, widened lanes, and improved traffic flow between Main Street and Johnson Highway, while extending Barbadoes Street to reduce congestion in Norristown’s downtown.
The project was financed with 80 percent federal and 20 percent state funds.
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