The temporary northbound and southbound stretch of collapsed I-95 in Philadelphia will reopen next weekend, according to Gov. Josh Shapiro.
The official said that, after the visits to the construction site, whose work has been carried out 24/7 since the fatal accident that destroyed the road and left one person dead, “I feel confident to say that we will be able to reopen the first phase this weekend”.
He maintained that it is not clear if it will be Saturday the 24th or Sunday the 25th, due to the time that the resurfacing material has to be in place to make it safe, but that it will definitely be one of those two days.
There are six lanes that will temporarily open the center of I-95, three northbound and three southbound. This will be the first phase as the bridge is built in the three lanes in both directions to the outside. The subsequent plan is once this reconstruction is completed, traffic will be redirected from the temporary lanes to the new ones on the sides, to begin the reconstruction of the centrals.
“I want to acknowledge the hard work of everyone who has given of their time to get the job done. This is what happens when we work together. We are showing everyone that Philadelphia and the entire state can do great things,” Shapiro said, adding that collaboration between the state and the federal level was key to meeting his two-week reopening deadline after the collapse. .
This is what remains to be completed for the reopening:
- Construction of the temporary structure with the recyclable glass material was completed on Monday.
- On Tuesday the structure was secured and the installation of the barriers on the east side of the work began.
- On Wednesday they expect to complete the installation of the wall on the west side of the work, to start the resurfacing work.
- Once the resurfacing begins, the material must be allowed to adjust to the structure for a certain time prior to opening.
You can see the progress of the work live 24 hours clicking here.
PennDOT Transportation Secretary Mika Carroll emphasized that the recycled material used for the temporary structure “is not new to Pennsylvania.” He explained that they have been adding to work on I-95 itself, and on other projects for almost eight years.
“This type of recyclable additive is used in New Jersey, Rhode Island and Arizona because they recognize the quality of the product,” Carroll noted. “We are working fast, but safely.”
Support and security
- The panels that serve as barriers on each side, east and west, of the temporary lanes have a weight of 13,000 pounds each.
- All the vehicles that have been working on the temporary lanes add up to an additional 3,000 pounds.
- In total, the temporary lanes can hold up to 400,000 pounds more than the trucks and vehicles that regularly transit the road.
Current closures and diversions:
- Drivers southbound from I-95 may access Exit 30 (Cottman Avenue).
- Drivers northbound on I-95 may access Exit 26 (Betsy Ross Bridge/Aramingo Avenue).
Alternate routes:
- Southbound I-95: Route 63 West (Woodhaven Road), US 1 South, 76 East, 676 East are available
- I-95 Northbound: I-676 West, I-76 West, US 1 North to Route 63 East (Woodhaven Road) are available
The collapse of the northern section of I-95 occurred on the morning of June 3, causing the death of the driver of a fuel truck identified as Nathan Moody.
