PHILADELPHIA — Interstate 95 was scheduled to reopen to traffic Friday less than two weeks after a deadly collapse in Philadelphia shut down a heavily traveled stretch of the East Coast’s main north-south highway.
Workers were putting the finishing touches on a six-lane temporary highway that will serve motorists during the construction of a permanent bridge. The teams worked around the clock and were prepared to finish ahead of schedule. The interstate was scheduled to reopen at noon, according to the governor’s office.
The elevated section of I-95 collapsed early on June 11 after a tractor-trailer carrying gasoline rolled over on an exit ramp and caught fire. State transportation officials said the driver, who died, lost control on a curve. There were no other deaths or injuries.
The closure of a major commercial artery clogged traffic in and around Philadelphia and threatened to raise the cost of consumer goods as truckers were forced to detour from the area. State and federal officials promised swift action to minimize the economic impact and inconvenience.
To get I-95 back up and running as quickly as possible, workers used about 2,000 tons of lightweight glass nuggets to fill the underpass to surface level, then paved it to create three travel lanes on each address. Eventually a permanent bridge will be built.
President Joe Biden joined Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on a helicopter tour of the site just over a week after the collapse, hailing the design as «incredibly innovative to be able to get this job done in record time.»
With rain threatening to delay the reopening, a truck-mounted jet dryer normally used to keep moisture off the track at Pocono Raceway was brought in to keep the cool asphalt dry enough to paint the lines.
The 24-hour construction job was broadcast live and attracted thousands of viewers online.