I-95 closing again in Center City Philadelphia. Here’s what to know.
This time, it’ll be all four lanes of I-95 South that close in Philly, along with some ramps on and off the highway.
Get ready to deal with more traffic in Center City.
For the second time this month, I-95 near Penn’s Landing will close to allow crews to continue work on a $329 million capping project to create a nearly 12-acre park that will extend over the highway.
This time, it will be all four lanes of southbound I-95 that will close from the evening of Saturday, Feb. 24, through the morning of Monday, Feb. 26.
I-95 North will remain open to traffic, but one lane will be closed.
As with the I-95 North closure earlier this month, traffic is expected to be backed up on local roads as drivers find detours. Complicating matters will be an NBA game between the Sixers and Milwaukee Bucks at the Wells Fargo Center scheduled to tip off at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 25. The Flyers are also scheduled to play on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 3 p.m.
“Motorists are advised to avoid the closure area because significant backups and delays will occur on I-95 and several surface streets in the vicinity of the work area,” PennDot said in a statement.
Here is a timeline for the closures on I-95 near Penn’s Landing:
Saturday, Feb. 24, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.: One lane will be closed on I-95 South between I-676 (Exit 22) and Walnut Street.
Saturday, Feb. 24 at 5 p.m. until Monday, Feb. 26, at 5 a.m.: All lanes of I-95 South will be closed from Exit 22 to the Morris Street on-ramp after Exit 20.
As part of that weekend’s construction, two ramps will shut down — the ramp from I-676 East to I-95 South and the ramp from I-95 South to Columbus Boulevard and Washington Avenue at Exit 22. Both will reopen at 5 a.m. on Feb. 26.
The Market Street ramp to I-95 South will close Monday, Feb. 19, at 6 a.m., and won’t reopen until mid-March. PennDot said motorists will be detoured to Columbus Boulevard to the on-ramp to I-95 South at Morris Street. Trucks looking to hop on I-95 South will be diverted to Front Street.
The ramp from Lombard Circle to I-95 North will also remain closed. Traffic will be directed to use the northbound ramp from Columbus Boulevard near Catharine Street.
The closure is due to the $329 million project to create a nearly 12-acre park at Penn’s Landing over I-95. The weekend work will focus on the partial demolition of the existing concrete over I-95 between Chestnut and Walnut Streets, according to PennDot.
The park project is expected to be completed in the next four to six years. Once finished, the Park at Penn’s Landing will cover about four acres over I-95 between Chestnut and Walnut. And seven more acres will slope down to the waterfront from Columbus Boulevard; amenities planned include gardens, a cafe, a large pavilion, and an amphitheater.
This is the second of four planned closures on I-95. One more each is planned for I-95 North and I-95 South. No dates for those closures have been announced, but PennDot said they would occur on weekends over the next few months.