Photo is representational and not actually of the collaspe.
According to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, the state will use its federal funding and cut through red tape to expedite the process of rebuilding a section of I-95. I-95 is a major East Coast highway that spans from Miami to Maine. In Philadelphia, approximately 160,000 people use this highway, making it the busiest interstate within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, according to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll.
The city has set up alternative routes for those whose daily commutes will be impacted by the disaster. Southbound drivers can take Route 63 West, US 1 South, I-76 East, and I-676 East. Northbound drivers can detour to I-676 West, I-76 West, US 1 North, and Route 63 East.
The collapse occurred after a tanker truck containing a petroleum-based product caught fire underneath an overpass. The impact of the collapse is not just expected to hit transportation; it will also affect the city’s economy. The managing director for the City of Philadelphia, Tumar Alexander, said the incident will have “a significant impact on this community for a while.”
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that the Department of Transportation will assist in helping the highway be rebuilt. “Secretary Buttigieg has assured me that there will be absolutely no delay in getting federal funds deployed to quickly help us rebuild this critical artery. I-95, of course, is a critical roadway that supports our economy and plays an important role in folks’ everyday lives,” Governor Josh Shapiro said.
Following the fire and collapse, the Coast Guard surveyed the waterways bordering the city where they observed a sheen on the water which was contained to only one area.
“They reported that there is a sheen on the water, but it seems to be confined to the cove,” the Coast Guard’s statement reads. “The substance is gasoline, and the tanker has the potential to spill 8,500 gallons. However, it has been reported to us that clean-up efforts are mainly shoreside, meaning on land.”
Brendan Riley, director of water operations for the Philadelphia Water Department, echoed Governor Josh Shapiro’s sentiments that water in the city was safe.
The reconstruction of the highway could take several months according to CNN.
Sources
https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/12/us/philadelphia-i95-collapse-fire-monday/index.html
