Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro expressed praise for the dedicated construction crews and the collaborative efforts of government officials at all levels. He announced that the section of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia, which suffered significant damage in a tanker fire on June 11, will be reopened for traffic ahead of schedule.
In a joint announcement with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll on Tuesday, Governor Shapiro revealed that the reopening of I-95 will take place earlier than originally estimated, defying the projected two-week timeline.
To achieve this expedited reopening, crews will commence paving three new lanes in both directions throughout the week. Governor Shapiro emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety and swift arrival of the paving equipment. To this end, the Pennsylvania State Police will provide escorts for trucks transporting the pavers up I-95, facilitating their prompt and secure arrival at the construction site. The construction teams are tirelessly working around the clock to complete the necessary tasks and restore I-95 to full functionality by the upcoming weekend.
“Based on the tremendous progress these crews made over the weekend and the time it takes to complete the remaining steps, I can now say that we will have I-95 back open this weekend,” said Shapiro. “We have worked around the clock to get this done, and we’ve completed each phase safely and ahead of schedule. That’s all due to the incredible coordination with our local, state, and federal partners – and thanks to the hard-working men and women of the Philadelphia Building Trades who are making this happen.”
On the morning of June 11, a tragic incident occurred when a tank truck carrying a petroleum product crashed while exiting the interstate at the Cottman Avenue exit. The ensuing fire caused extensive destruction to the northbound lanes of I-95 and inflicted severe damage on the southbound lanes, which had to be completely removed. Unfortunately, the accident resulted in the loss of Nathan Mooney, a 53-year-old driver from New Jersey.
Governor Shapiro recently announced that the demolition of the affected area was accomplished in a remarkably short span of four days, surpassing initial predictions. Over the Father’s Day holiday weekend, construction crews made significant additional progress by filling the void with ultra-lightweight foamed glass aggregate, gradually bringing it up to the surface level. This innovative approach was made possible thanks to the availability of the aggregate material from a local Delaware County business, which has been utilized on various projects within Pennsylvania and other states, including New Jersey, Maine, and Rhode Island.
In the near future, construction will commence on a permanent overpass for both sides of the temporary lanes, ensuring a lasting solution.
Throughout this entire endeavor, the construction crews have tirelessly worked around the clock to safely and expeditiously reopen the roadway. Governor Shapiro acknowledged the collaborative efforts of PennDOT, the Biden Administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the City of Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Building Trades, emphasizing how their joint endeavors facilitated rapid progress in rebuilding I-95 within a mere two weeks after the collapse, surpassing the original predictions of experts.
Since the overpass collapse, both truckers and motorists have had to endure time-consuming detours in both directions.
