Officials finalizing plans to reopen I-95 in Philadelphia
- A section of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia collapsed after a fiery crash
- Officials say they want to repair it as quickly as possible
- The governor and state transportation secretary will detail their plan on Wednesday
(NewsNation) — Pennsylvania’s Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation Michael Carroll plan on detailing the plan to rebuild and reopen Interstate 95 in Philadelphia after part of it collapsed on Sunday.
I-95 has been closed in both directions after a tractor-trailer hauling gasoline flipped over on an off-ramp on Sunday and caught fire.
Officials have said the elevated southbound portion of I-95 will have to be demolished, as well as the northbound.
“We have been focused on the demolition of the southbound structure,” Carroll said at a news conference on Tuesday at the site of the collapse. “As you can see behind me, that process is well underway, and it will continue through the night tonight to get us to a conclusion of the demolition.”
After that, Carroll said, “we can then proceed with a remedy that will reopen I-95.”
Carroll said more information would be given on that plan — which is being finalized — on Wednesday.
“We’re going to try and do it as quickly as we can,” Carroll said.
An exact timeline for the rebuild was not given at the conference, but in response to a reporter’s question, Carroll said crews are “already working 24/7.”
The Associated Press reported that it could take weeks, at least, to replace the damaged and destroyed section, and rebuilding is likely to go into July or August.
Shapiro issued a proclamation of disaster emergency for Philadelphia after the collapse, NewsNation local affiliate WPHL reported.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.