UPDATED: Dec. 29 at 7:20 P.M.
PennDOT reopened the Roosevelt Expressway ramp to westbound I-76 and City Avenue Friday night, ahead of the originally anticipated Saturday timeline.
The ramp had structural damage after a large vehicle crashed into it Tuesday.
The original story follows:
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — PennDOT officials said Wednesday they expect the damaged ramp from the southbound Roosevelt Expressway to westbound I-76 to reopen sometime Saturday evening.
PennDOT says construction will begin Friday to repair structural damage from Tuesday's accident in which a westbound truck carrying containers taller than the 14-foot clearance on I-76 struck the overpass, damaging the floor beams on the bridge. The daytime work to repair the elevated ramp will close the right lane of the westbound Schuylkill Expressway between City Avenue and Lincoln Drive.
Traffic from south Route 1 is still being detoured to the eastbound 76 until the ramp is repaired.
Officials said construction shouldn't take as long as first feared. Engineers at first said the closure could last into next week. Structural damage to the elevated ramp from Route 1 southbound to the Schuylkill Expressway westbound and City Avenue will keep that span closed at least into next week, PennDOT officials said Wednesday.
With the ramp closed for now, southbound drivers on the Roosevelt Expressway are detoured to I-76 eastbound, where they will need to exit at Montgomery Drive to access I-76 westbound. PennDOT is working with the city to improve traffic congestion at Montgomery, said Harold Windisch, PennDOT's assistant District 6 executive for construction.
"We're looking at retiming the signal so that they can get around because you have to make a double-left in that area which is a bit of a challenge," he said.
While traffic is lighter during this holiday week, Windisch advises drivers to have a plan for next week and beyond. He suggests planning alternate routes and allowing for extra time to navigate the detour.
More information on the closure can be found on the PennDOT website.