Governor Josh Shapiro Briefs President Biden on I-95 Collapse, Announces Highway Will Reopen Within Two Weeks

Governor Shapiro joined President Biden for an aerial tour of the site, and then briefed the President on Pennsylvania’s around the clock work and coordination with federal officials to reopen the roadway safely and quickly.

Thanks to that coordinated response and the 24/7 work of crews on the scene, I-95 is expected to be open within the next two weeks.

Philadelphia, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro joined President Biden for an aerial tour of the I-95 construction site and briefed him on the Shapiro Administration’s all hands on deck response to get the highway reopened safely and as quickly as possible. During the briefing, Governor Shapiro announced that I-95 will reopen within the next two weeks.

“I can state with confidence that we will have I-95 reopened within the next two weeks,” said Governor Josh Shapiro at the briefing with President Biden at Philadelphia international Airport. “We are going to get traffic moving again thanks to the extraordinary work of those here and our incredible union trade workers.”

After the aerial tour, Governor Shapiro and key members of his cabinet – PEMA Director Padfield, Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Chris Paris, and Secretary of Transportation Mike Carroll – briefed the President on the initial response, the reconstruction plan, and the continued coordination between all levels of government.

Since the first moments after the fire and collapse on Sunday morning, the Shapiro Administration has been working around the clock to keep people safe and reopen the roadway as quickly as possible. Governor Shapiro has led a coordinated response, working closely with the Biden Administration and local partners – and thanks to that 24/7 work and close coordination, crews are making fast progress on the rebuild of I-95.

On Thursday, Governor Shapiro announced that demolition of the damaged bridge and roadway had been completed in just four days – ahead of schedule and beating some experts’ prediction of more than a week. That same day, the Pennsylvania State Police escorted truckloads of foamed glass aggregate fill from AeroAggregates in Delaware County up I-95 to the construction site to make sure they arrived as quickly as possible.

Members of the Philadelphia Building Trades, working for Philadelphia-based contractor Buckley & Company, have begun pouring the foamed glass aggregate into the gap in the roadway, building it up to the surface level of I-95. They will continue working 24/7 through the holiday weekend to reopen the highway as quickly as possible.  

Governor Shapiro will continue to lead a coordinated local, state, and federal response to get traffic moving again on I-95 in Northeast Philadelphia.

  Contact: ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov 

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