I-95 rebuild: Local businesses anxious to see streets return to normal when I-95 reopens

TACONY - There is a definite plan when I-95 will reopen, but what about nearby State Road? There are a lot of questions about the surrounding area and the businesses impacted by the collapse.

The owners of two local auto repair shops located on State Road near the collapse of I-95 hope the planned reopening of the highway this weekend will ease traffic on local roads.

The one-way traffic flowing south on State Road past the collapse site was thick Wednesday morning. This is the escape route for motorists forced off 95 and reentering down the road. The volume of traffic has collapsed the businesses of two local auto repair shops, and FOX 29 has learned the expected reopening of 95 this weekend is not likely to immediately help.

Philadelphia police tell FOX 29 they’ve not "finalized" plans for the reopening of lanes, adding they’ll monitor the changes on I-95 and make adjustments.

Waseem Kakhai is the owner of Car Doctor. He said, "Opening up 95 is good news, but I don’t think good for me. For me, State Road matters more and State Road is still staying one-way."

RELATED COVERAGE:

• I-95 rebuild: Collapsed Philadelphia interstate to reopen this weekend, Gov. Shapiro says
• I-95 collapse: Live camera shows real-time progress of interstate reconstruction
• I-95 collapse: Local businesses, neighbors express optimism as rebuilding progresses rapidly

Coker said his business has taken a big hit, but the loyalty of a South Philly limo service helped Wednesday with two vehicles in for repairs. Frank Zigman, the owner of Ambassador 35 Limousine said, "It just so happened I had two flats in my cars, and I have a car that needs a motor so I’m going to amp-it-up to help him because he’s slow due to all the problems."

Up on 95, PennDOT’s webcam showed the outer traffic barriers being placed and what’s called "modified stone" layered. But heavy rain, possible Wednesday afternoon, and paving do not mix.

The head of PennDOT says they’ll look for dry, "windows of opportunity" to place asphalt. Michael Carroll was asked if the driving rain expected in the hours ahead would slow the plans to reopen 95 by the weekend? Carroll replied that light rain is okay, but workers can’t put down pavement in driving rain. He added, "I remain optimistic we’ll reopen this weekend."

Just outside Joe Notarianni’s repair show, demolition is starting for an I-95 on-ramp. Another complication for a business already off by 60 percent. Notarianni welcomes the possible weekend reopening of 95 but wants local roads to open right along with it. "Side roads would make a big impact and help everybody in this neighborhood getting around, communicating, getting customers in and out and people back and forth to work," he said.