I-95 reconstruction progress: Lane to close this week as new beams placed for new bridge
PHILADELPHIA - Construction crews are making steady progress on the project to permanently reconstruct a collapsed portion of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia.
SkyFOX was live over the bridge near Cottman Avenue as contractors began removing compromised concrete from the site on Thursday.
The concrete had to be removed before new beams could be placed, a step that officials say will begin next week.
One southbound lane will be closed in the area from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, then a northbound lane will shut down from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday. Traffic will be reduced to two lanes as crews work on the interstate.
The new beams will support a new bridge after a fatal tanker truck crash ignited a huge fire that caused a section of the busy interstate to collapse in June.
Officials celebrate reopening of I-95
The collapsed stretch of I-95 is reopening sooner than expected, as Governor Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll officially reopen the highway at noon Friday.
A shut-down of the interstate caused headaches for commuters and residents as detours caused delays for nearly two weeks.
However, a temporary fix was unveiled ahead of schedule, allowing traffic to flow on the I-95 once again.
Officials have yet to give a timeline, or specific details for when the I-95 project will be completed.