Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced Monday that he issued a disaster declaration “to immediately draw down federal funds and move quickly to begin the repair and reconstruction process” of a heavily traveled section of Interstate 95 that collapsed Sunday morning in Northeast Philadelphia.
“I-95 is a critical roadway that supports our economy and plays an important role in folks’ everyday lives,” Shapiro said on Sunday.
A tanker truck caught fire under a section of I-95 just after 6 a.m. Sunday. The northbound section collapsed, but the southbound span has also been deemed unsafe, Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management officials said.
The collapse is expected to make commuting and travel through the area a headache for weeks to come as transportation officials try to devise alternative routes for drivers.
Where is I-95 located?
The nearly 1,917-mile interstate runs from Miami through Maine to Canada. Fifty-one of those miles are in the Philadelphia area where it runs parallel to the Delaware River.
Where is I-95 collapsed in Philadelphia?
The collapsed portion carries about 160,000 cars daily, according to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll.
Heat from tanker fire collapses bridge
Black smoke engulfed a portion of I-95 Sunday morning in Philadelphia while traffic on the northbound lane was halted by the collapsed bridge.
I-95 detours in Philadelphia area
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation officials recommend drivers use these detours:
I-95 closures in Philadelphia
The city of Philadelphia says these roads and ramps are closed:
- Castor Avenue on-ramp for I-95 northbound
- Aramingo Avenue/I-95 on and off-ramps
- On-ramp to I-95 northbound closed
- Betsy Ross off-ramp to I-95 northbound closed
- Bridge Street ramp
- I-95 on-ramp at Bridge Street closed
- All traffic on Tacony Street will flow northbound only from Bridge Street to New State Road
- Tacony Street and Tacony-Palmyra Bridge
- Tacony Palmyra Bridge traffic onto Tacony Street is closed. All traffic continues westbound onto Levick Street
- Cottman Avenue exit and State Road closures
- State Road from Cottman Avenue to Longshore Avenue will be one-way, southbound travel only
Contributing: Grace Hauck, Anthony DiMattia
