Philadelphia highway collapse: I95 reopens less than two weeks after deadly collapse
I95 reopens FILE PHOTO: In this handout photo provided by the City of Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management, smoke rises from a collapsed section of the I-95 highway on June 11, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A temporary bridge opens on Friday less than two weeks after the collapse. (Photo by City of Philadelphia via Getty Images) (Handout/City of Philadelphia)
By Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
PHILADELPHIA — Traffic is rolling once again on Interstate 95 in Philadelphia less than two weeks after a man was killed in an overpass collapse.
Update 12:10 p.m. EDT June 23: Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro officially opened the roadway.
But before other drivers got a chance to drive on the new highway, Philadelphia Fire Department’s Engine 38, which was the first crew on the scene of the collapse, got to drive the span, with sirens and horns blaring, accompanied by the city’s sports mascots such as Gritty and the Phillie Phanatic on board one of the trucks, WPVI reported.
Original report: The six-lane roadway that will open Friday will route traffic around the span as a permanent bridge is being built, The Associated Press reported.
It is expected to open at noon with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll officially reopening the highway, WTXF reported.
Crews took only four days to demolish the part of the overpass that came down on June 11, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The main east coast artery collapsed after a tractor-trailer that was hauling gasoline flipped on an off-ramp when the driver lost control around a curve.
Construction crews worked around the clock and finished the temporary bridge ahead of schedule. They filled the underpass to bring it up to the highway’s level, filling the void with 2,000 tons of glass nuggets. They then paved it, making three lanes running in each direction.
The project has been live-streamed so people could follow the progress.
President Joe Biden visited the site about a week after the crash, saying the design was “incredibly innovative in order to get this work done in record time.”
Despite the fast build, Mother Nature almost dampened the progress as rains wet the highway, almost preventing crews from being able to paint the lines on the highway, but some help from the Pocono Raceway in the form of a truck-mounted jet dryer helped dry the pavement, allowing the lines to be painted, the AP reported.
WTXF reported that the track’s pace car had a state police escort to bring the dryer to the area to dry the road.
“Pocono Raceway is thrilled to answer the call that went out yesterday from Secretary Carroll on behalf of the Shapiro Administration,” Ricky Durst, the Senior Director of Marketing & Analytics for Pocono Raceway, told WTXF.
“It’s a jet engine. It’s going to blow out about 1400 degrees Fahrenheit. It has about 3,000 pounds of force,” Durst told the television station. “As the secretary said, it’s buckled into a Chevy Silverado. So, it’s a little bit of a Frankenstein thing, but it’s also pretty specialized and it’s used throughout the NASCAR industry to keep things dry and keep things safe.”
Section Of I-95 In Philadelphia Collapses After Tanker Fire PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 12: A woman photographs workers inspecting and clearing debris from a section of bridge that collapsed on Interstate 95 after an oil tanker explosion on June 12, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Traffic was severely affected due to the closure of this primary north-to-south highway for East Coast travel. (Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images) (MARK MAKELA/Getty Images)
Section Of I-95 In Philadelphia Collapses After Tanker Fire PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 12: Police officers direct traffic near a bridge collapse on Interstate 95 after an oil tanker explosion on June 12, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Traffic was severely affected due to the closure of this primary north-to-south highway for East Coast travel. (Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images) (Mark Makela/Getty Images)
Section Of I-95 In Philadelphia Collapses After Tanker Fire PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 12: Workers inspect and clear debris from a section of the bridge that collapsed on Interstate 95 after an oil tanker explosion on June 12, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Traffic was severely affected due to the closure of this primary north-to-south highway for East Coast travel. (Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images) (Mark Makela/Getty Images)
Section Of I-95 In Philadelphia Collapses After Tanker Fire PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 11: In this handout photo provided by the City of Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management, smoke rises from a collapsed section of the I-95 highway on June 11, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to reports, a tanker fire underneath the highway caused the road to collapse. (Photo by City of Philadelphia via Getty Images) (Handout/City of Philadelphia)
Section Of I-95 In Philadelphia Collapses After Tanker Fire PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 12: Workers inspect and clear debris from a section of bridge that collapsed on Interstate 95 after an oil tanker explosion on June 12, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Traffic was severely affected due to the closure of this primary north-to-south highway for East Coast travel. (Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images) (Mark Makela/Getty Images)
Section Of I-95 In Philadelphia Collapses After Tanker Fire PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 12: Workers inspect and clear debris from a section of the bridge that collapsed on Interstate 95 after an oil tanker explosion on June 12, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Traffic was severely affected due to the closure of this primary north-to-south highway for East Coast travel. (Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images) (Mark Makela/Getty Images)
Section Of I-95 In Philadelphia Collapses After Tanker Fire PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 12: A person with a National Transportation Safety Board vest photographs a section of bridge that collapsed on Interstate 95 after an oil tanker explosion on June 12, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Traffic was severely affected due to the closure of this primary north-to-south highway for East Coast travel. (Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images) (Mark Makela/Getty Images)
Section Of I-95 In Philadelphia Collapses After Tanker Fire PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 12: A man exits his truck and observes traffic as a result of a bridge collapse on Interstate 95 after an oil tanker explosion on June 12, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With the closure of this primary north-to-south highway for East Coast travel, the morning commute was severely effected. (Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images) (Mark Makela/Getty Images)