PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The lanes now being built to temporarily replace the collapsed section of I-95 will be operational in mere days: “I can confidently state right here, right now, the traffic will be flowing here on I-95 this weekend,” Gov. Josh Shapiro said Tuesday afternoon.
The governor’s promise must have come as music to the ears of commuters, truckers and all drivers who rely on I-95, as well as Northeast Philadelphia business owners whose operations have been disrupted since last week Sunday, when a gasoline transport truck caught fire and caused an elevated section of the expressway to collapse.
If that benchmark is met, it would mean a scant two weeks will have passed since the day
“This weekend, you’ll have less time in traffic and more time with family and friends,” Shapiro said. “This weekend, our struggling local businesses here will hopefully be filled again with great patrons. This weekend, our commuters will finally be able to set their Monday morning alarm clocks back to the regular time, because they won’t have to spend extra time in detours.”
The governor said work crews continue to make significant progress on the section of temporary roadway, which will open to six lanes of traffic while work continues on the permanent structure.
Shapiro says crews have finished filling the space with locally sourced materials recycled from waste glass, and cranes on Tuesday were lifting the roadway’s large outer barriers into place. Officials said they are confident this will withstand the demands of interstate traffic.
“Each one of those panels that are being raised and sit on that structure weigh about 13,000 pounds,” explained PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “A vehicle, traditional sedan, about 3,000 pounds. The totality of the weight from the barriers will be about 400,000 pounds — far in excess of any truck that will traverse the new structure.”
The northbound section is expected to be completed Tuesday night. The outer barrier for the southbound section is expected to come Wednesday. After that is done, weather permitting, the road will be paved — and then striped.
A timeline for the permanent lanes is less clear. Shapiro says PennDOT is working on it, and they should have a better idea after the interim roadway opens. He said the permanent replacement section will be built moving from the outside in and there will always be six lanes of traffic open and moving.
Shapiro estimated the entire project would have a price tag between $25 million and $30 million — the full cost of which, he said, the federal government would cover.
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