WASHINGTON (CN) — The U.S. Department of Transportation committed $3 million in emergency funding Thursday to repair a collapsed portion of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia that has sparked a transportation crisis this week.
It's an early response in what is certain to be an expensive project after a tanker truck overturned Sunday beneath the highway, killing the driver and sparking a fire that soon collapsed the northbound side of the expressway. The blaze melted steel girders, and the structurally compromised southbound side required demolition.
Considered a key private and commercial travel corridor between New York and Washington, the damaged stretch of I-95 normally carries some 160,000 vehicles each day.
“Every day counts in this urgent reconstruction project, and the quick-release funding is an important step to help PennDOT rebuild the collapsed portion of I-95,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a press release Thursday. “We will continue to use every federal resource we can to help Pennsylvania restore this key artery quickly and safely.”
The money, which comes from the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief program, will support efforts started Thursday to build a temporary roadway before a reconstruction project can be completed. It will also allow the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to proceed with preliminary engineering, surveys and design for a permanent repair.
“The I-95 corridor is a vital connection for people and goods traveling along the East Coast, and we are working hand in hand with state and local officials to make the necessary repairs,” Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt said in a press release. “We know thousands of people and businesses rely on this interstate every day, which is why we are providing this quick release funding to ensure PennDOT can reopen this section of I-95 as quickly as possible.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has declined to provide a timeline or price tag for what will likely be an expensive project, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
“We realize this is a challenge for motorists,” Shapiro told reporters Wednesday. “That’s why these guys are working their tails off to get it done as quickly as possible.”
Once necessary demolition is completed Thursday, workers will fill in the area with 2,000 tons of recycled glass and pave over the gap, which should open six of the eight lanes on the interstate.
Pennsylvania officials have said federal money will fund the project entirely.
Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman and Representative Brendan Boyle issued a joint statement saying the money “is a strong start to restore essential traffic.”
“Every level of government has a role to play in the reconstruction of I-95,” the legislators said. “We’re committed to ensuring the federal government does its part to support a swift reconstruction.”
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