- Pennsylvania Manages to Reopen Collapsed I-95 Segment In Days Rather Than Weeks
- Maryland Board Schedules Final Comment And Vote On I-95 Express Lanes Rate-Setting
- These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
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Pennsylvania Manages to Reopen Collapsed I-95 Segment In Days Rather Than Weeks
TRN continues to track coverage of the restoration of the collapsed I-95 segment in Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Inquirer and Associated Press report that a temporary repair was accomplished and the damaged interstate segment reopened at approximately 1:00 PM EDST today, less than two weeks after an overpass collapsed in the heat of a tanker truck fire.
The New York Times reports on the temporary six-lane roadway segment that rests atop 2,000 tons of crushed glass. There’s still no word on when the permanent replacement will take place, but the article notes the intense public appetite for news and updates about related developments: Some bars have even started showing PennDOT’s livestream of the demolition-turned-construction site. The speed of the repair is a political boon for Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D), whose administration is making the most of the moment.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported yesterday on the swift progress of restoration work. “‘We haven’t always had a can-do attitude around here, that we can get big things done, that we can get it done quickly and safely,” Shapiro told reporters earlier this week. “We’re going to change that attitude of people being surprised to folks expecting excellence from us.’” The article noted that the recycled glass material that was key to the initial repair was also used at Philadelphia International Airport to create an overnight parking apron for planes. And despite national focus on the bridge site itself, a pair of nearby exits will remain closed to accommodate permanent repair of the highway.
“New Civil Engineer” provides a more detailed outline of each stage of work that’s progressed since the collapse. Governor Shapiro credits coordination among local, state and federal partners — as well as crews working around the clock — for the swift reopening. The bridge in question was only 10 years old and reportedly structurally sound, but a National Transportation Safety Board investigation of the collapse is underway.
Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Maintenance Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Safety (Includes COVID-19 Impacts) I-95 Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Philadelphia PA Metro AreaMaryland Board Schedules Final Comment And Vote On I-95 Express Lanes Rate-Setting
The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) Board announced it will accept final public comment at its Thursday, June 29, livestreamed meeting on the recommended toll rates for the new I-95 Express Toll Lanes (ETL) Northbound Extension and I-695 ramps. Thursday will be the public’s third opportunity this year to provide input on the rates. Pre-registration is required for anyone wishing to comment during the meeting. The board will take a final rate-setting vote after receiving the public feedback. The recommended toll rate ranges can be reviewed at https://mdta.maryland.gov/I95ETLNB-Section200. The $1.1 billion, 12-mile extension project, launched in 2019, is expected to reach partial completion by the end of 2024 and fully open by 2027.
CBS News Baltimore reports on the announcement.
Express Lanes I-95 I-95 Express Toll Lanes (Maryland) Maryland Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA)These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
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