I-95 bridge collapse: What happened, the detours, and what happens next
Mapping out everything we know so far
Residents woke up Sunday morning to images of a thick bellow of black smoke emerging over Northeast Philadelphia. Authorities say a tanker truck underneath a portion of I-95 caught fire, bringing down a portion of the bridge. Law enforcement officials on Monday were working to confirm the identity of a driver who may have been killed in the blaze.
Here’s what we know about what happened and what’s ahead.
At about 6:19 a.m. on Sunday, the Philadelphia Police Department received a report that a tanker truck was on fire in the area beneath the northbound I-95 Cottman Avenue exit ramp. Philadelphia Fire Department personnel arrived at the scene about five minutes later.
A segment of a bridge on the northbound side of the interstate collapsed around 6:45 a.m., according to a PennDot spokesperson.
As of Monday afternoon, the interstate remains closed in both directions near the collapse site.
Monica Herndon Detours are in place in both directions with southbound motorists only able to go as far as the Cottman Avenue exit. Local detours to access southbound I-95 at Longshore Avenue are the Cottman Avenue exit to Bleigh Avenue and State Road.
Northbound I-95 vehicles can go as far north as Exit 26/Betsy Ross Bridge/Aramingo Avenue. The local detours take that exit to Tacony Street, heading north to Bleigh Avenue then New State Road to Milnor Street.
Otherwise, regional traffic will detour west of the collapse site.
The Philadelphia Parking Authority is offering commuters free parking at the Fox Chase, Torresdale, Fern Rock, and FTC stations. Parking is also free at all Regional Rail stations.
SEPTA increased service and capacity on the Trenton, West Trenton and Fox Chase Lines to accommodate disrupted travel through the city and region.
On Monday afternoon, Gov. Shapiro signed a disaster declaration, which made $7 million of state funds immediately available for reconstruction. The proclamation also allows Pennsylvania to access federal funding.
Repairs to the roadway could take several months to complete. On Monday afternoon, PennDot Secretary Mike Carroll said that the bridge on southbound I-95 in Northeast Philadelphia is compromised and will have to be demolished. Officials expect the demolition to take four to five days.
Visit pa.gov/i95updates for the latest official guidance on road closures and detours.
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Staff Contributors
- Design/development: Sam Morris, Dain Saint, Jasen Lo
- Reporting: Charmaine Runes, Ximena Conde, Jasen Lo, John Duchneskie
- Editing: Sam Morris
- Copy Editing: Brian Leighton