Interstate 95 reopened to traffic Friday less than two weeks after a deadly fiery collapse in Northeast Philadelphia shut down a heavily traveled stretch of the East Coast’s main north-south highway.
Workers put the finishing touches on an interim six-lane roadway -- three lanes in each direction -- that will serve motorists during construction of a permanent bridge. Crews worked around the clock and were finished ahead of schedule.
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The southbound lanes of the interstate were set to reopen at noon, Gov. Josh Shapiro reiterated Friday morning, but there wasn't immediately a quick flow of traffic. A livestream of the roadway showed workers on each side of the highway after the noon deadline passed.
Cars and trucks finally began moving on the roadway just after 12:35 p.m.
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Here is what to know about the temporary fix to I-95:
How jubilant was the reopening?
"We demolished a roadway, we rebuilt I-95 in just 12 days," Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said while taking a victory lap at a Friday morning news conference. "Through that process we showed the nation what Philadelphia and Pennsylvania are all about."
"When we work together, we can get s*** done here in Pennsylvania." the first-term Democrat said with a smile. "We sure can."
Which Philly sports mascots led the parade across reopened stretch of I-95?
Shapiro led people to watch the first vehicles -- including a Philadelphia firetruck with the Phillie Phanatic, Swoop, Gritty and other mascots on top -- to ceremonially cross the new section in the northbound direction. It was like a victory parade in a city that recently came up just short of a championship for the Phillies, Eagles and Union.
What part of the highway is reopening?
Three lanes of I-95 will open in each direction after crews built up the ground at the site of the Cottman Avenue bridge collapse. The reopening happened first with the southbound lanes on the afternoon of June 23, 2023. The northbound lanes appeared open about an hour later -- just around 1:35 p.m.
"It's ready for traffic," PennDOT Sec. Mike Carroll said while noting the roadway is safe to drive on. He, however, did not address concerns about long-term testing of the materials used when pushed.
How fast can drivers go?
The 11-foot lanes (a little tighter than normal) have no shoulder at the previous closure point, so the speed limit will be reduced to 45 mph, Carroll said.
"I hope that the people of Philly will continue to be partners and drive through this safely," Carroll said. "Please take your time going through the zone."
There will be at least 1 mile of transition before the provisional stretch in both directions.
What led to the closure of I-95?
The elevated section of I-95 collapsed early on June 11 after a tanker truck hauling gasoline flipped on an off-ramp and caught fire. State transportation officials said the driver, who was killed, lost control around a curve. There were no other deaths or injuries.
The closure of an important commercial artery snarled traffic in and around Philadelphia and threatened to raise the cost of consumer goods as truckers were forced to detour around the area. State and federal officials pledged quick action to minimize the economic impact and inconvenience.
What did crews do to fix the highway in less than 2 weeks?
To get I-95 operating again as quickly as possible, workers used about 2,000 tons of lightweight glass nuggets to fill the underpass and bring it up to surface level, then paved over to create three lanes of travel in each direction. A permanent bridge will eventually be constructed.
President Joe Biden joined Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on a helicopter tour of the site a little more than a week after the collapse and praised the design as “incredibly innovative in order to get this work 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 fresh asphalt dry enough for lines to be painted.
When will the permanent bridge be installed?
That timetable is not yet clear.
How have people kept track of the progress?
The 24-hour construction work was live-streamed, drawing thousands of viewers online.
How are Philly sports teams are taking care of the truck driver who died?
Nathan Moody died in the crash, leaving behind a child. Philadelphia's major league teams are making sure she is taken care of.
"The Flyers, Eagles, Phillies, 76ers, and Union organizations have made a collective $50,000 donation to build a trust for the daughter of Nathan Moody, the driver who died in the collapse on June 11," said a release from Shapiro's office.
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