Daily News Briefs, June 16, 2023

FDOT's Gateway Expressway Project Will Be Finished By Early 2024

Axios Tampa Bay reports, “It’s been nearly six years since the Gateway Expressway project started, and now [Florida DOT] officials say it’s slated to wrap up early next year.” The nearly $600 million undertaking, one component of the Tampa Bay Next Program, involves construction of two four-lane elevated tollways (SR 690 and SR 686A) and two new I-275 express toll lanes (one in each direction). Axios takes note of the project’s significance within the greater Tampa transportation network.

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I-95 Bridge Collapse News Roundup

TRN is tracking continuing coverage of the I-95 bridge collapse in northeast Philadelphia.

WHYY summarizes Pennsylvania’s plan for a temporary fix to the damaged section of interstate. The overall timing and cost of repair are not yet known, but demolition was nearly complete as of yesterday. After debris is removed, police-escorted dump trucks will immediately begin transporting temporary fill to the site. “The plan is to make six lanes initially available by the fill and cover method — followed by construction of a new bridge — and as the bridge is completed, the packing will be removed and reused at another location.” (See below for more on the fill.) Philadelphia’s local construction trades union has agreed “to work around the clock until work is complete.” Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D) said he’s already allocated $7 million in state funding for the project, which also has received $3 million in federal support (see more below).

Associated Press reports on the recycled glass “nuggets” that look like rocks, but carry the weight of Styrofoam that will be used as fill for the temporary bridge replacement. “Workers will fill the gap — which is roughly 100 feet (30 meters) long and 150 feet wide — by piling recycled foam glass aggregate into the underpass area, bringing it up to surface level and then paving it over so that three lanes of traffic can reopen each way. . . .” The material will be sourced from AeroAggregates of North America, which operates a production site just south of the city. PennDOT has used the company’s product previously, and “it is now approved for use by 23 state transportation departments around the country.” More details about the material’s manufacturing process are provided in the article.

ABC News reports that, despite some initial dire predictions, economists and business officials are now saying that economic disruption from the bridge collapse “will remain largely contained to the immediate region, since suppliers and travelers who do not need to stop in the city can avail themselves of alternative highway routes with minimal inconvenience.” About 14,000 truckers travel the affected portion of I-95 on an average day, but those not tied to the area’s industrial hub can easily bypass the site via I-295 or the New Jersey Turnpike.

FHWA announced yesterday that $3 million in “quick release” emergency funding has been made available immediately to PennDOT as a downpayment on repair costs for the bridge. The money will go toward emergency operations, detour routing, demolition and emergency repairs. “PennDOT can also proceed with preliminary engineering, surveys and design as part of plans to perform the permanent restoration work and rebuild that section of I-95.” More funding will be made available through FHWA’s Emergency Relief program.

ABC News New York reports, PennDOT has launched a 24/7 live-stream of the site.

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New Connecticut Law Mandates Comprehensive Effort To Prevent Wrong-Way Crashes

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont (D) signed into law a bill that tasks Connecticut DOT with undertaking comprehensive measures against wrong-way driving, including installing wrong-way driving detection and notification technology at a minimum of 120 highway exit ramps identified as high-risk. In his signing announcement, Lamont stated, “It is shocking how quickly the number of wrong-way driving incidents has accelerated over these last couple of years. . . . Reversing this trend requires a comprehensive approach that not only involves infrastructure upgrades using advanced technology, but also requires a heightened awareness by drivers every single time they are entering a highway. This is an issue that we cannot take lightly, and we must continue researching new and emerging methods of preventing wrong-way driving incidents.” The bill, now Public Act 23-51, passed both chambers of the legislature by unanimous votes.

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These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.

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