Collapsed I-95 to reopen soon
By Tiffany Moustakas, Editor at LinkedIn News
The overpass section that collapsed on Interstate 95 in Philadelphia after a truck caught fire last Sunday will be temporarily repaired and reopen within the next two weeks, The Wall Street Journal reports. The temporary repairs, which will have a more permanent fix soon, will be built from a gravel-like foamed glass material to fill in gaps and help pave the road. More than 150,000 vehicles drive through each day and an extensive closure would’ve disrupted travel and shipping for commuters and trucks.
- President Joe Biden visited the area on Saturday and said “there’s no more important project right now as far as I’m concerned,” than this “all hands on deck” project.
I-95: Shipments of recycled glass backfill arrive at Philadelphia collapse site
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The first truckloads of a recycled glass material being used to backfill the collapsed portion of I-95 are now out on the roadway ready for use.
Part of I-95, a major artery on the East Coast that sees thousands of vehicles a day, collapsed Sunday after a tanker truck hauling gasoline crashed and caught fire beneath an overpass.
Crews have been at the scene since then demolishing the southbound lanes. In a news conference Wednesday, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced the plans for a temporary roadway and a 24/7 livestream to watch workers repair I-95.
A rock-like foam made from recycled glass is being used to backfill the collapsed portion of I-95 in Philadelphia. Once the fill is set down, a temporary roadway will be placed on top allowing traffic through. CBS NEWS PHILADELPHIA
Thursday morning, Pennsylvania State Police escorted trucks from the Aero Aggregates manufacturing plant in Eddystone, Pa. up to the collapsed roadway by Cottman Avenue in Tacony. There, the tractor-trailers unloaded the material and construction vehicles were getting it ready.
The material is a recycled glass foam aggregate – it’s like rock, but lighter. The goal is to fill this gap in the highway where the collapse occurred and build a temporary roadway.
“That’s the fill they’re going to use to basically build up the ground behind me to the surface level of I-95, so then they can lay the payment,” Shapiro said Wednesday.
There is a sewer line under the area where the collapse occurred, and filling the gap with rock would be too heavy.
Demolition work is expected to be completed Thursday.
A piece of the specially engineered recycled glass foam aggregate being used to build a temporary roadway after I-95 collapsed.
