Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced that the collapsed portion of Interstate 95 will reopen this weekend. Shapiro made sure to highlight that the reopening will be ahead of schedule thanks to crews working "24/7".
“We have made tremendous progress over just the last few days,” Gov. Shapiro said in a news conference on Tuesday. “I can confidently state right here, right now, that traffic will be flowing here on I-95 this weekend…We have completed every phase of this project safely and way ahead of schedule.”
Demolition of the damaged portion of I-95 finished Thursday. Construction work began after with crews working to fill the roadway with a “specially designed, Pennsylvania-made recycled glass aggregate,” transportation officials said.
There has been major traffic issues due to the collapse, and the primary detour is about 23 miles using state or interstate roads, according to local transportation officials.
The governor's office said in a news release that crews will be paving three new lanes in both directions of the interstate throughout the rest of the week.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the temporary lanes will work to relieve commuters while work continues to rebuild the outer sections of the interstate’s permanent bridge.
“This team is the best in the world,” said Shapiro Tuesday. “Nothing gets in their way. This weekend they worked through the pouring rain. Just yesterday they worked through the scorching heat, they have worked literally around the clock, 24/7, in 12-hour shifts.”
“This is what it looks like when we all work together,” he said.
When asked whether the roadway would likely open Saturday or Sunday, the governor could not give a specific day. “The paving is going to require about a 12-hour window of weather, so depending upon we get that started, we’ll be able to give you a more precise time,” Shapiro said.
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Source: CNN
