Interstate 95 Alternative Routes For Lower Bucks Commuters

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA —The Interstate 95 road collapse Sunday will mean that Lower Bucks commuters will have to find alternative ways around a closure that is expected to last for several months.

PennDOT has announced detours for those who use the interstate —which transportation officials said typically carries about 160,000 vehicles per day —and SEPTA has added train lines for the morning and evening rush hour commutes. See details below.

On Sunday morning, a portion of Interstate 95 collapsed in Northeast Philadelphia after a tanker below the roadway caught fire, the governor said. Gov. Josh Shapiro said he would declare a disaster Monday to expedite access to federal funds.

The tanker remained trapped Sunday evening, Shapiro said in a press conference late Sunday that authorities are working to identify anyone who may have been caught in the fire and collapse, but that no motorists on the interstate were hurt or killed.

TMA Bucks, Bucks County's transportation agency, was encouraging commuters who have the ability to telecommute to do so to keep unnecessary vehicles off the road for workers that absolutely need to be out there. The agency also encouraged people to ride SEPTA Regional Rail if they can.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said that drivers should plan for delays around the area and think about alternate routes.

PennDOT has a recommended detour for getting around the I-95 collapse, and the information is being put on message boards in the region and in states north and south of Philadelphia, spokesman Brad Rudolph said.

• Closures may change as the response continues. Travelers are encouraged to follow local news and PennDOT’s Twitter account or website (www.511pa.com).
• Travelers should expect delays and plan alternative travel routes, especially while planning for their weekday commute.
• Residents are encouraged to use SEPTA as an alternative means of travel. In Bucks County, SEPTA has the Regional Rail Lines R7 and R3 into Philadelphia

PennDOT Interstate 95 alternatives

Heading northbound:

• Take I-676 West to I-76 West
• Take Exit 304B for U.S. 1/ Roosevelt Boulevard north
• Go to Woodhaven Road/Route 63 exit and head east, which will take you to I-95 north of the collapse.

Heading Southbound:

• Take Exit I-95 onto state Route 63/Woodhaven to U.S. 1/Roosevelt Blvd. south
• Get on I-76 East, to 676 East and then merge onto I-95 southbound

SEPTA Adding Trains

SEPTA is operating three extra morning and late afternoon trains on the Trenton Line, and adding capacity to regularly scheduled Trenton, West Trenton, and Fox Chase Lines during peak hours to help support the City and region’s travel needs following yesterday’s I-95 collapse.

SEPTA is also bolstering staffing to ensure reliable and frequent service is available on the Market-Frankford Line, buses, and other transit service. Customers traveling Monday should be aware of the following:

Extra Trenton Line Service

• AM: 6:40 a.m. and 8:03 a.m. from Trenton, along with 8:25 a.m. from Holmesburg Juncton
• PM: Trains will run at 3:05 p.m. from Suburban Station to Holmesburg Junction, along with 4:30 p.m. and 5:20 p.m. to Trenton
• These trains are additions to regularly scheduled trips

Other Regional Rail Service

• SEPTA will increase capacity on the Trenton, West Trenton, and Fox Chase Regional Rail Lines by adding rail cars to scheduled peak service trains. This means adding rail cars to regularly scheduled trains.
• Parking continues to be free at Regional Rail Stations and we will be deploying Operations personnel and ambassadors to assist customers Philadelphia Parking Authority parking lots near SEPTA stations at Fern Rock, Torresdale, and Fox Chase will also be free

Bus Routes

• Bus Routes 70, 78, & 84 will be detoured until further notice due to I-95 bridge collapse.

SEPTA is encouraging customers to monitor the SEPTA website – www.septa.org, SEPTA social media accounts, the official SEPTA App, and local media for real-time service information and updates before traveling.

TMA Bucks has provided regional rail line schedules for the following:

• Lansdale Doylestown Line
• Trenton Line
• Warminster Line
• West Trenton Line

Fares

Regional Rail passengers can purchase fares onboard with a credit card if needed. Information on SEPTA fares and Key Cards is available here or https://www.iseptaphilly.com/key.

The SEPTA Key truck will be at Cornwell Heights Station at 799 Station Ave. in Bensalem.

A complete rebuild of the affected area near the Cottman Avenue exit is expected to take "some number of months," with a more concrete timeline pending engineers' review, according to Shapiro.