Collapsed Stretch Of I-95 To Reopen Within 2 Weeks, Shapiro Says

PHILADELPHIA, PA — A collapsed stretch of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia is expected to reopen to traffic within two weeks, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Saturday in a statement posted on social media.

Shapiro shared the new timeline after he and President Joe Biden took a helicopter tour of the damaged road while Biden was in Philadelphia for a campaign event, reports said. He also confirmed it during a press availability at the Philadelphia International Airport, according to NBC Philadelphia and The Associated Press.

“I can state with confidence that we will have I-95 reopened within the next two weeks,” Shapiro said in a statement. “We are going to get traffic moving again — thanks to the extraordinary efforts of our incredible union trade workers and our all-hands-on-deck approach."

The stretch of the East Coast’s main north-south highway collapsed early last Sunday after a tractor-trailer hauling gasoline flipped over on an off-ramp and caught fire. State transportation officials said the driver was trying to navigate a curve and lost control.

Pennsylvania's plan to repair the road involves trucking in 2,000 tons of lightweight glass nuggets for quick rebuilding, with crews working around the clock until the interstate is open to traffic. Instead of rebuilding the overpass right away, crews will use the recycled glass to fill in the collapsed area to avoid supply-chain delays for other materials, Shapiro has said.

After that, a replacement bridge will be built next to it to reroute traffic while crews excavate the fill to restore the exit ramp, officials have said.

Shapiro previously said it would take "months" to rebuild the collapsed portion of the highway.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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