Mar 19, 2008 8:14 am US/Eastern
Officials: I-95 Could Reopen By Wednesday Evening
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
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Crews were working feverishly to repair a concrete support pillar beneath I-95 in Port Richmond.
CBS
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A crumbling support beam led to the closure of both sides of I-95 between Girard and Allegheny Aves.
CBS
Pennsylvania
transportation officials indicate that the round-the-clock repairs to
Interstate 95 in Philadelphia
are on schedule, and the hope is that the highway can be reopened this evening.
A three-mile stretch of I-95 was shut down early Tuesday, backing up commuter traffic for miles, as workers began emergency repairs on a 7-8-foot long crack in a concrete support pillar beneath the major northeast corridor thoroughfare.
The fracture ranged from two inches to several inches wide, and the repair work required closure of both northbound and southbound lanes of the highway north of the city's central business district, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesman Gene Blaum said.
The closure is affecting both sides of the interstate between Girard and Aramingo Avenues. Crews have been working round-the-clock in an attempt to fix the problem. Best case scenario, officials hope to have the interstate reopened by Wednesday evening, but it could take several more days to finish.
A shipment of steel beams arrived from out of state late Tuesday evening and crews used that to begin to firm up the structure.
Officials are hopeful that the interstate can be reopened by Wednesday night.
The section of the interstate carries 180,000 vehicles a day, making the repair "a major undertaking," according to Blaum.
"It's an unfortunate situation, but we have to take this route, we want to make sure things are safe," Nick Martino of PennDOT said.
Mayor Michael Nutter called the repair "a temporary inconvenience to fix a long-term problem."
The crack was first noticed by an inspector last fall, and the same inspector happened to be in the area Monday and decided to look in on the support, Blaum said.
"This crack has grown considerably since October," Blaum said.
Several sections of I-95, including the column in question, had been scheduled for repair later this year, but the condition of the support led to the emergency fix.
"Obviously this is certainly not something we would do unless it is absolutely necessary, to shut down the interstate, but it's going to be done," he said. "Two spans of Interstate 95 basically connect right on top of that column."
PennDOT plans to erect four steel towers to surround and support the concrete pillar so it can be repaired. After the supports are in place, officials said the highway can be reopened.
PennDOT said contractors in Pittsburgh, Coatesville and Baltimore were erecting four steel towers to take the weight off the pillar and support the highway, after which the section of I-95 would be reopened.
"Our primary responsibility is to see that I-95 is safe," Nutter said. But he said "safety, not speed" would be the primary consideration.
Drivers faced with lengthy delays were shocked by the amount of traffic on surrounding roads.
Detoured traffic caused many headaches and long waits on Aramingo Avenue and surrounding roads.
But area residents said
the traffic is nothing compared to the March 1996 tire fire that heavily
damaged the interstate, diverting traffic for weeks. (
WATCH: March 13, 1996 I-95 Tire Fire Coverage)
"It was bad. It
was bumper to bumper to bumper to bumper," said one Kensington resident.
On Tuesday afternoon at about 2 p.m., commuters were dealt another
blow when a tractor trailer became stuck on Richmond Street at the
Lehigh Avenue overpass, one of the detour routes. The scene was cleared by 3 p.m.
Traffic Notice:Southbound traffic on the interstate will be detoured off the Aramingo Avenue exit onto the southbound side of Aramingo. Traffic will be allowed back on the highway at Girard Avenue.
Northbound traffic on I-95 will also be detoured at the Aramingo Avenue exit onto the northbound side of Aramingo Avenue. Traffic will be allowed back on the highway at the 4200 Aramingo Avenue ramp.
Officials said a total of eight ramps have been closed as a result of the structural emergency.
On the southbound side of I-95, Bridge Street, Castor Avenue, Aramingo Avenue and Allegheny Avenue exits have been closed.
Headed northbound on the interstate, Washington Avenue, Race Street, 676 (Vine Street) and Girard Avenue exits have been shut down.
Additional traffic officers have been placed in the area to help guide traffic.
Alternate Routes:CBS 3's Bob Kelly reports drivers are going to need to get creative to find ways around the mess.
An alternative for drivers headed south would be to cross the Delaware River in New Jersey via the Betsy Ross, Burlington or Tacony-Palmyra bridges and take Route 130, which runs parallel to I-95. Drivers can then re-cross the river at the Ben Franklin or Walt Whitman Bridges.
Those headed into the city from the Northeast could take the Roosevelt Boulevard to the Schuylkill Expressway, Kelly Drive or Martin Luther King Drive.
Detour Map Links:
Roosevelt Boulevard Detour Aramingo Avenue Detour Route 130 DetourRail and Bus Information:
Amtrak SEPTA PATCO NJ Transit Greyhound Traffic, Transit & Travel Guide
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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