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Part of I-95 is closing again in Philly this weekend: Here’s how to get around it

PennDot suggests several detours to avoid traffic in Philadelphia as construction work continues on I-95 amid plans for a new park at Penn’s Landing.

All four lanes of I-95 South will close in Center City Philadelphia this weekend as work continues on a new park that will extend over the highway from Front Street to the Delaware River.
All four lanes of I-95 South will close in Center City Philadelphia this weekend as work continues on a new park that will extend over the highway from Front Street to the Delaware River.Read moreAlejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer
    by Rob Tornoe
    Published 

Here we go again.

For the second time this month, I-95 will close in Center City Philadelphia as work continues on a capping project for a new park at Penn’s Landing.

This time, it’s all four lanes of I-95 South that will be closed from Saturday night through early Monday morning. Earlier this month, the closure of I-95 North led to backups on detour routes and side streets near the highway, so expect similar traffic issues this weekend, especially on Sunday.

Making traffic issues worse will be an NBA game between the Sixers and Milwaukee Bucks at the Wells Fargo Center scheduled to tip off at 1 p.m. Sunday. The Flyers are also scheduled to play Saturday at 4 p.m.

“Motorists are advised to avoid the closure areas this weekend because significant backups and delays will occur on I-95, the alternate routes and several surface streets in the vicinity of the work area,” PennDot said in a statement.

It’s the second of at least four closures planned to take place on I-95 over the next few months. This time, I-95 North will remain open throughout the weekend, though one lane will be closed.

Here’s everything you need to know about part of I-95 being closed in Philly this weekend:

How long will I-95 be closed in Philly?

Here is a timeline for the lane closures on I-95 near Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia:

  1. Saturday, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.: One lane will be closed on I-95 South between I-676 (Exit 22) and Walnut Street.

  2. Saturday 5 p.m. until Monday 5 a.m.: All lanes of I-95 South will be closed from Exit 22 to the Morris Street on-ramp after Exit 20.

Several ramps will also be closed, including:

  1. Ramp from I-676 East to I-95 South will be closed from 4 p.m. Saturday through 5 a.m. Monday.

  2. Ramp from I-95 South to Columbus Boulevard and Washington Avenue at Exit 22 will close at 5 p.m. Sunday and reopen at 5 a.m. Monday.

  3. Market Street ramp to I-95 South closed last week, and will remain closed until March 11.

  4. Ramp from Lombard Circle to I-95 North will also remain closed.

Suggested detours around I-95 in Philly

Here are some suggested detour routes from PennDot to avoid the construction area:

  1. I-95 South from New York to Delaware: Your best bet is to avoid Philadelphia entirely and take either the New Jersey Turnpike or I-295 South across the Delaware Memorial Bridge, which will merge back with I-95 South just south of Wilmington.

  2. I-95 South from northern Philly to Chester County/Delaware: PennDot suggests several routes, depending where you’re coming from. The easiest detour is probably to head north on I-95 and take I-276 South to I-476, which will avoid the city entirely and merge back into I-95 near Chester. Another alternative is taking the Betsy Ross Bridge to U.S. Route 130 through Camden, then hopping on I-76 West across the Walt Whitman Bridge.

  3. I-95 South from New York to Chester County: Take the New Jersey Turnpike south to I-295 South and head over the Delaware River on the Commodore Barry Bridge. Then take I-95 north or south from there, depending where you’re headed.

Here is a PennDot map of more potential detour routes:

When will I-95 South in Philly reopen?

I-95 South will fully reopen in Philly on Monday at 5 a.m., according to PennDot.

Earlier this month, workers finished their construction work early, allowing the highway to reopen several hours ahead of schedule.

Why is I-95 closed?

The closure is part of a $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 covering 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. Seven more acres will slope down to the waterfront from Columbus Boulevard, with planned amenities including gardens, a cafe, a large pavilion, and an amphitheater.

Will there be more closures on I-95?

To paraphrase Ben Franklin, three things are certain: Death, taxes, and construction work on I-95.

This is the second of four planned closures. One more each is planned for I-95 North and I-95 South. No other dates have been announced, but PennDot said they would occur on weekends over the next few months.