UPDATE: June 18, 1 p.m.
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has finally given a timeline for reopening the collapsed section of I-95 — two weeks.
The governor made the announcement while appearing with President Joe Biden, Mayor Jim Kenney and other leaders at a Philadelphia International Airport hangar.
The president arrived in Philadelphia Saturday morning for a scheduled campaign stop, but first took a 40-minute aerial tour of the Northeast Philadelphia site of the devastating June 11 road collapse. He was joined by Shapiro, Kenney, Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman, and Rep. Brendan Boyle.
They followed the tour with the press briefing, during which Biden spoke of the federal government's commitment to the project and our area.
"I told the governor there’s no more important project right now in our country, as far as I’m concerned," he told reporters. "I’ve directed my team to move heaven and earth to get it done as soon as humanly possible."
Related
That includes financial assistance for the construction costs, coming from the $3 million "quick release" emergency funds granted by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The president also promised additional funding in the weeks ahead.
"We're going to reimburse 100% of this phase of the work and well over the first 200 days," he said, "then after that, 90% of the work. We'll be here until the end. We won't leave until it's finished."
The biggest reveal, however, was from Shapiro, who revealed a timeline for the reopening, after eluding the question for days.
"I can state with confidence," he told reporters, "that we will have I-95 open within the next two weeks."
Area businesses eager for a remedy
Business owners with operations in the area say the collapse has hit them hard, and they are looking forward to the relief.
At Sharkey's Grill and Ale House on State Road in Tacony, manager Bob Allen says the road closures and changing traffic patterns have diminished what would normally be their busiest time of the year.
“The people are not coming, because they don't want to be tied up with this traffic,” Allen said.
Allen says, while he’s thankful for what leaders, police and construction workers are doing to remedy the issue, he’s only cautiously optimistic.
“We are a small business, you know. We're veteran owned, two firefighters are partners in the business, and our chef is, you know, been a chef for 20 years. So these are all guys that are working hard to make this establishment work,” Allen said.
“I would want them to know that we're down here in the trenches … we're grateful for what they're doing, but … we need help.”
Brooke Higgins from Sweet Lucy Smokehouse in the same area said their business has also taken a hit. When they heard the news from officials that I-95 would be reopened in two weeks, she said, “I was really happy to hear that, because the summer is kind of our season — barbecue season.”
Related
She says the barbecue restaurant that’s been around for 20 years has seen its share of challenges, especially with the pandemic, ongoing staff shortages and now the I95 collapse.
“We get a lot of catering. We get a lot of people celebrating graduations and different events. So when I heard that … I was very thankful, because we're really trying to not cut any of our staff’s hours. We want to give as many hours as we can, because this is … a normally busy time a year.”
Biden springboards into campaign
The stretch of the East Coast’s main north-south highway collapsed early last Sunday after a tanker truck hauling gasoline flipped over on an off-ramp and caught fire. State transportation officials said the driver, Nathaniel Moody, was trying to navigate a curve and lost control.
Pennsylvania's immediate plan for the reconstruction involves trucking in 2,000 tons of glass nuggets for the quick rebuilding. Instead of rebuilding the overpass right away, crews will use the recycled glass to fill in the collapsed area and quickly reopen the stretch of road, in order to help commuters and avoid supply chain delays.
Related
Shapiro credits the determination and long hours that union workers put in for the reopening of I-95 in Philadelphia.
Biden followed the briefing with his scheduled event at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. It was his first major rally of his 2024 campaign.
In his speech to union members, he made his case that his economic agenda is boosting the middle class. That included a sweeping climate, tax and health care package he signed into law last year, which he said cut the cost of prescription drugs and lowered insurance premiums.
Several of the nation's most powerful unions — including the AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees — officially endorsed Biden's campaign on Friday.
Related
Related
The Associated Press contributed to this story.