Credit: PennDOT
Just under two weeks after a fuel truck explosion and fire led to the closure of I-95 in the area of Cottman Avenue in Philadelphia, the highway will reopen Friday around noon.
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Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office and PennDOT announced the opening will take place in the early afternoon following around-the-clock demolition and then construction.
The governor is set to speak at 10:30 a.m.
“Since the moment of the collapse, the Shapiro Administration has remained focused on reopening the roadway safely and as quickly as possible,” the Democratic governor’s office said.
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The reopening of the I-95 section will cut out cumbersome detours and resume traffic to move on one of the busiest highways in the nation.
Crews have paved three new lanes in both directions throughout the week on top of a glass-foam aggregate.
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Once demolition of the collapsed northbound lanes was completed, the damaged southbound lanes were torn down.
Credit: PA Internet News Service
The temporary fix is being made by crews laying an ultra-lightweight foamed glass aggregate to build up to the surface level. The material was created in Delaware County.
PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said earlier in the week that the foamed glass aggregate is safe and has been used in projects throughout Pennsylvania and other states, including New Jersey, Maine, Virginia, and Rhode Island.
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“This glass aggregate is already in use under some sections of I-95,” he said.
In addition to crews working around-the-clock, NASCAR and Pocono Raceway brought a jet dryer to help keep paving and line striping work dry. Also, demolition and construction crews have been receiving escorts from state police to speed things up.
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The repairs to I-95 have been a top priority for the state and federal officials, including President Joe Biden, pledged to get the highway reopened.
State officials have credited their teams, city officials, and the federal government for their support and work to get traffic moving again.
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Shapiro told reporters earlier this week that the temporary fix will cost $25 to $30 million. He noted President Joe Biden pledged the federal government will cover the cost.
The crash happened just before 6:30 a.m. Sunday, June 11 on the ramp under the highway when a truck filled with fuel crashed and exploded. The driver of the truck was killed, and the cause of the crash is under investigation by state police and federal transportation officials. The fire caused the northbound lanes of I-95 to collapse and the southbound lanes to be badly damaged.
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State officials initially believed temporary repairs would take months or many weeks.
After the temporary lanes open, state officials will begin planning for permanent repairs.
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