'We rebuilt I-95 in just 12 days': Busy Philly highway reopens to cars, trucks

[BumRushDaShow]

Last edited Fri Jun 23, 2023, 01:43 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: NBC 10

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.

The northbound 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 crossing the roadway just after 12:35 p.m.

Read more: https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/transportation-and-transit/reopening-of-i-95-philly/3591146/

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Technically, at least based on the stream, it appears the Southbound lanes are the ones opened. I think when the governor was out earlier, there may have been some Northbound traffic (including the city's team mascots).

The below snapshot was the first traffic appearing on the PennDOT stream that was "lead" by some of the road crew hauling traffic signs (the pickups and van on the other side were parked) -





Article updated.

Original article/headline -

'We rebuilt I-95 in just 12 days': Busy Philly highway reopens Friday

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.

The northbound 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 crossing the roadway just after 12:30 p.m.

[orleans]

1. wow--i'm actually impressed. (seriously) nt

[BumRushDaShow]

5. The below is an overhead shot (I think taken from a quadcopter that I saw the workers using on site)

Gives the perspective of what was basically dismissed as a "not important to commerce" road not near any "populated areas" that one NYer insisted this was -

[bronxiteforever]

31. +1 not this born NYer. Married a Philly girl

and drove that stretch for years. Anyone who said that I 95 thru Philly is not important to commerce is an ignorant buffoon.

[BumRushDaShow]

33. It was someone from

another borough who posts on DU...

[bronxiteforever]

35. 10-4

[Hotler]

59. Democrats get shit done. Repugs would still trying to figure out how to skim money from the project

and bitch about how permits and inspections are tyranny and more big government.

[BumRushDaShow]

60. The irony here

is that the GOP loon legislature last year had passed a law limiting the governor's ability to declare/extend "emergencies" (disaster, health, etc) after 2 weeks, all to "own" the previous (D) governor who had declared a Public Health Emergency here due to COVID-19.

So now fast-forward to this incident after (D)s finally took back one of the chambers - the legislature had to "do some work" to extend the "disaster declaration" that was declared by our current (D) governor for the I-95 road collapse right after it happened and that authority was ending, and would have delayed everything unless they extended it.

And the whole irony about this kneecapping that they had done, was that these declarations enabled what THEY actually "promote" all the time - streamlined processes and paperwork to address the situation. But they were so busy "owning the libs" when they did those limitations, that it boomeranged right back at them, and the new (D) state House managed to shame the (R)s into doing something for the good of the state.

[Initech]

3. This is what happens when you vote for competency vs what your pastor tells you!

[2naSalit]

4. Democratic values in action!

Yesiree!

[Deminpenn]

6. Proud of my state, Gov Shapiro and crews

who made this amazing construction happen. Everyone pulling in the same direction toward the same goal of reopening 95. "Can do" attitude on full display.

I happened to see Andrea Mitchell reporting on the reopening. For someone who worked in Philadelphia for years, she got a lot wrong like the section of 95 being in North Phila (it's in NE Phila) and Shapiro being from Phila even though he's not. It was kind of sad...

[BumRushDaShow]

11. There has been a lot of confusing reporting on this

even from the local reporters, many of whom I expect don't even live in the city.

The current view on the the PennDOT camera is looking south - you see the Tacony-Palmyra bridge on the left going over the Delaware which would be looking east, and without the low clouds hanging on the horizon, you can actually see the downtown skyline. Yet they have insisted that Northbound is open and I'm not seeing any traffic going north, just southbound (at least at that point where the camera is (could be northbound is getting back on 95 on above that location somehow).

Since Shapiro's Navy Dr. dad (who is still working) was stationed in KS at a Naval medical center, that is where he was born until his family moved to this area, where he grew up and went to school, etc.

[Deminpenn]

14. I95 North was closed at the Betsy Ross bridge

which is fairly far south. Maybe it's just taking some time for that previously detoured traffic to readjust. It's possible the northbound detour didn't come off as soon as the southbound, too.

[BumRushDaShow]

18. Could also be they needed to move some equipment in place on that side (river side/northbound)

ANDDDDDD.... I have been running the stream and went back a bit and they finally got I-95 Northbound open about 30 minutes ago!

Caught a snapshot of the yellow lead trucks for that -

[BumRushDaShow]

22. And THIS is apparently why no northbound traffic until later - vehicle fire just before that area

Link to tweet

511PA Statewide
@511PAStatewide
·
Follow
CLEARED: Vehicle fire on I-95 northbound between Exit 26 - Betsy Ross Br/New Jersey and Exit 30 - Cottman Ave/Rhawn St.
1:35 PM · Jun 23, 2023

[Tree-Hugger]

27. NE Philly doesn't exist

Signed, someone from Far NE Philly which *really* doesn't exist.

That's why they call it North Philly. They forget we are here.

[BumRushDaShow]

32. LOL!!!

The "Far Northeast" used to be "the boonies".

I remember in high school on the badminton team and we had a game at George Washington High and on the school bus trip to get there, we were like... "Wow. This is like way up there".

Growing up, my parents took us up to the Lincoln Drive-In which was on the Roosevelt Blvd, literally just over the line into Trevose. It was like one of those major "car trips" whenever we went up there. Saw the "The Godfather" and "Ben" there when those movies came out.

[Marthe48]

7. Sure hope they gave materials enough time to harden

I'd hate to see a bigger problem later. I'm just a worry wart.

[Deminpenn]

12. The material was already hard

It's recycled glass and foam, like bricks or cement block.

[Marthe48]

23. Thanks

I'll read up on it

[BumRushDaShow]

15. It's a fascinating product made of recycled glass!

[Marthe48]

25. Thanks!

I think the last new product I read up on was recycled tires shredded into a paving material.

[BumRushDaShow]

28. I know that many playgrounds have been using that material made from recycled tires

to create of a "firm but springy" surface to put play equipment on.

[Marthe48]

37. and then reports that it was carcinogenic

I liked taking the grand kids to playgrounds, but was kind of glad they grew out of them before I had to worry about another thing :/

I think I like to worry, I do it so much!

[BumRushDaShow]

38. Yeah I had heard about concerns regarding treatment of the material

Same type of thing with repurposing old wood railroad ties that used to be dipped in arsenic years ago but nowadays still have some pretty nasty preservatives that are meant to keep them lasting longer during their use for train tracks.

I would suppose it was all a way to be "green" and recycle these materials rather than dump them in landfills.

[Hortensis]

8. Wonderful. I'm proud of what they did. Back in 1994, a stretch of the

hugely busy (claimed the world's busiest) Santa Monica Freeway opened less than three months after two bridge sections collapsed, plus other damage to connectors, etc, in the Northridge quake. The federal government offered to pay all costs IF it was open in less than X days, and it was, rebuilt better than ever.

[Marthe48]

9. This is the epitome of

ingenuity and cooperation. Well done, PA and U.S.A. And the construction workers who did the work to make it happen!

[Backseat Driver]

10. Wow, what an amazing accomplishment to facilitate

essential traffic flow!

[jmowreader]

13. They were from the government and they were there to help

If you want shit done right now, the government will get shit done.

They are the only ones who can band together the necessary agencies, the private sector workers who built the bridge, and NASCAR into one cohesive group.

[BumRushDaShow]

20. "If you want shit done right now, the government will get shit done. "

And that ended up being a quote from the governor!!!!! He had even tweeted it out on his governor twitter account but apparently deleted it (and the station edited out the "shit" from the below video but at least mentioned it in the description).

Link to tweet

NBC10 Philadelphia
@NBCPhiladelphia
·
Follow
"We rebuilt I-95 in just 12 days. [...] We can get s*** done in Pennsylvania."

More from Gov. Josh Shapiro's victory lap before today's speedy re-opening on Interstate 95: http://on.nbc10.com/GEGrzW1
13.3K views
0:12 / 0:34
11:35 AM · Jun 23, 2023

[BumRushDaShow]

42. And I did find the tweet (finally)

Link to tweet

Governor Josh Shapiro
@GovernorShapiro
·
Follow
We all came together and proved that we can do big things again in Pennsylvania.

We showed the world that when times get hard, Pennsylvanians show up for one another.

We work together — and we get shit done.
Image
11:49 AM · Jun 23, 2023

And I did actually capture a snapshot from yesterday when a race car was set up by the (ubiquitous) Buckley & Company sign in front of the PennDOT camera and I was wondering what the heck was going on until I heard the story -

[OneCrazyDiamond]

16. Will the concrete cure enough that fast?

I think one can add aluminum-something to speed it up, but 12 days for loaded big rigs seems fast.

[jmowreader]

24. They used asphalt as their surface material rather than concrete

The base is this gravel-looking stuff they make from recycled glass. Concrete WON'T cure fast enough, but hot-mix asphalt is ready as soon as it's cold.

[Snooper9]

17. Now the real work starts

Having dumptrucks come bring a bunch of fill and throwing asphalt on top isn't really rocket science LOL

[The Jungle 1]

36. I think you underestimate what went down here.

They didn't just dump fill. The construction must be engineered first. Plans made, drawings produced and analysis of loads and stresses calculated then construction procedures established. The liability is huge which is why engineers must bless the design and procedures. They did whole thing in 12 days.
There was way more involved than just dumping fill.

[bucolic_frolic]

19. Are you FKM?

Amazing!

[JudyM]

21. Barely a mention of Biden/Fed help, as with MSNBC report I saw; contrast with POTUS' statement here:

"This emergency repair is 100% federally funded and all approvals were given as quick as possible. We also deployed officials from the U.S. Department of Transportation to the crash site within hours – to help fast-track the effort."

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=18033057

[ZonkerHarris]

26. Shapiro for President '28

[gfwzig]

29. Isn't it amazing that when you pay a decent wage there is no labor shortage.....

went to a restaurant recently where the owner was wearing a t shirt that said "I work like CRAZY to support the LAZY" ...
They also requested that you pay a MINIMUM 20% tip to their staff ,,(so that they can continue to have slave labor at $2.25 in Pennsylvania...

[MichMan]

49. No labor shortages when you tell contractors they have a blank check to charge whatever they like

Gov. Josh Shapiro announced this week that the state will be contracting with Buckley & Co., a Philadelphia-based construction firm, to rebuild the I-95 bridge that collapsed last Sunday.

But this is no ordinary government contract.

A day after a fuel tanker truck crashed under the bridge and set off the fire that destroyed it, Shapiro signed an emergency declaration that has allowed the state to take extraordinary steps to get the work done quickly. There will be no cost limits, projected timeline, or public paper trail for at least the first phase of demolition and construction, state officials said.

[bronxiteforever]

30. Kick and recommend! Pretty amazing work.

[The Jungle 1]

34. I would like to see more credit give to the engineers.

You don't just start building it must be engineered first. Plans made, drawings produced and analysis of stress and loads calculated.

The union craftsmen did a great job and thank you. However they do nothing without engineers.

[BumRushDaShow]

41. See these strategically placed signs at the construction site the past week

Mr. Buckley's father founded that company in the '20s and as the next generation, he became a Civil Engineer (and still is supposedly working with the company on the board).

I have been streaming this construction since they offered links to do so and his employees have ensured that they get "credit" where credit is due (along with advertising literally right in front of any streaming camera)!!!

I took this snapshot from the stream a couple minutes ago just before 6 pm EDT -



Note the sign. I watched a worker putzing with it and making sure there were enough sandbags (or whatever fill they put in them) were plopped on the stand so the thing wouldn't tilt over. This project has been all "self-promotion".

[The Jungle 1]

43. I do not hate capitalism.

It just needs controls.
They were just promoting their company. How can that be wrong.

[BumRushDaShow]

46. Oh I have no problem with that

I was literally getting a big chuckle out of what they were doing with the sign placements and understand that this is why they are still around as a company almost a century later!

[Oopsie Daisy]

39. Was it previously 10 lanes? That's amazing! Congrats to everyone involved!

And condolences to the family of the man who perished in the accident.

[BumRushDaShow]

45. When you include all the shoulders, it's actually 12 lanes

but there are 4 "normal" lanes for traffic going each direction and then the 2 shoulder lanes for each stretch (although not as wide as a full lane, those are wide enough for emergency vehicles to use).

So this is probably why they were at least be able to take it from 4 lanes to 3 lanes on each side by utilizing the shoulder lanes on either side of the median strip + the 2 far left lanes going each direction. This allows them to then work on the "permanent" fixes on either or both far right (outer) lanes (going either direction) + their shoulder lanes.

The traffic reports mentioned that the temp lanes are "only" 11 ft wide, where normal lanes can vary from 12ft - 14ft wide, so it's a little tight but then it forces you to slow down a bit to go over that very short temp segment, and then it's back to regular width lanes after that.

And yeah, the Moody family is naturally still in shock. Difficult to have closure after something like this.

[twodogsbarking]

40. I am elated that it is open and I don't have to travel on it.

[pfitz59]

44. Let's put some of this effort into other projects across the land

Build Back, Better! Of course Congress is too busy trying to impeach Biden, and censuring Schiff to get any real work done.

[BigmanPigman]

47. Holy shit!

How were they able to achieve this so quickly?!? Glad the Dems are in charge in PA.

[LiberalFighter]

48. Looks like it is Laborers Union 158 doing the manual work.

[Mark.b2]

50. We need this sense of urgency on every road project...hell, just one-quarter of it...

Would work wonders!

[MichMan]

51. Do you favor road projects with no cost limits, timelines or paper trails?

A day after a fuel tanker truck crashed under the bridge and set off the fire that destroyed it, Shapiro signed an emergency declaration that has allowed the state to take extraordinary steps to get the work done quickly. There will be no cost limits, projected timeline, or public paper trail for at least the first phase of demolition and construction, state officials said.

[Mark.b2]

52. In an extreme circumstance like this one, we have to....

Be ok getting things done quickly and paying extra for efficient results. These aren’t the times to start gagging on the gnats of a few extra cents while cheerily swallowing whole camels of billions of dollars on never-ending HSR projects or losing count of over $6B sent to the Pentagon.

I’m all for holding Congress and mandarins to account on how they spend money, but a crisis like this one isn’t a time to finally start.

Anyway, we find all the time that with much of
government timelines are meaningless, costs are boundless, and paper trails are ephemeral.

Governor Shapiro and Mayor Pete deserve much of the credit on this one. Had they taken the usual bureaucratic approach in this, the environmental impact assessment would just now be being scheduled for sometime early next year.

[MichMan]

53. You said every road project should be like this one.

All of them. That was the basis for my question.

[Mark.b2]

54. Yes, I did. I should have worded it more precisely....

I was trying to convey the notion that road projects (or any govt building project, for that matter, whether fed, state, county or municipal) needed just a smidgen (25%) of the drive or sense of urgency the seemed to compel those who were in charge of affecting this vital repair.

It doesn't happen very often in government, but sometimes government effectiveness with an initiative is back or white. This bridge collapse is one of them. And the Dems in charge on this knocked it out of the park.gra ted, expectations were quite low, and months were expected.

One great thing is we know mountains can be moved when they need to be...and quickly!

[cstanleytech]

55. I saw a video of something similar in europe though in that case it was an entirely new bridge and

if I recall they either did it overnight or within just a few days.
What helped them was they had all the bridge pretty much already assembled on site so they were able to do it very quickly and they even added a new road under it.

[BumRushDaShow]

57. I think what helped too in this case

is that this crew was already working on another part of I-95 nearby so they had much of the stuff/people in place and just shifted them to doing this project. They just needed the greenlight for the contract (which I believe was "no-bid", which was allowable once the governor declared a "disaster" ), and that freed funding from the feds and state for the workers, equipment, and materials, and away they went!

Since the overpass was a fairly "short" section of the roadway with an embankment already there since the highway is already elevated, it was a matter of deciding the best way to build a temp replacement. That stretch is actually 12 "lanes" wide, with 2 of those lanes in each direction being narrower but still vehicle-driveable shoulders, so that allowed for getting 3 lanes open each way (2 normal + 1 shoulder to make up the temp lanes) to replace the normal 4 lanes (+ 2 shoulders) each way that are normally there.

[Emile]

56. Good job

[BumRushDaShow]

58. I grabbed a snapshot last night of the stream

(it had been raining on and off around the area yesterday)



Will be interesting to see the strategy for rebuilding the permanent roadway from the outside in (which I expect may require cattle chutes or some kind of lane-shifts at some point).