PATCO advances rail rehab project on Ben Franklin Bridge

The Port Authority Transit Corp.'s (PATCO) $103 million Ben Franklin Bridge track rehabilitation project is moving forward on time and budget, agency officials announced this week.

Electrical, signaling and communication upgrades are slated to continue on the south track of the bridge, as well as in the tunnels in Philadelphia and Camden, N.J., PATCO officials said in a press release.

PATCO's current schedule will remain in effect through early July, although initially it was expected to change in spring. This extension will allow all south track work taking place on weekdays to be completed now instead of later, PATCO officials said.

The project, which began in January 2014, is expected to finish in two years as expected. It involves replacing more than 8,800 bridge timber ties, as well as 33 miles of signal, power and communications cable, according to the project's website.

The rehab project will also add 1,300 feet of new rail in the Camden Yard.

"As stewards of our assets, we are determined to make the final outcome worth it," said PATCO General Manager John Rink in a statement.