Following a helicopter trip above the crucial section of the highway that has been closed to East Coast traffic since last weekend, Pennsylvania’s governor and President Joe Biden announced on Saturday that the collapsed length of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia would reopen within two weeks.
Gov. Josh Shapiro stated, “We are getting it done here in Philly,” at a briefing at Philadelphia International Airport following the flyover featuring congressional representatives and the city’s mayor.
The significant initial government contribution and longer-term assistance for a long-term solution for the crucial road were described by Biden. I am aware of how important this roadway is to the Northeast Corridor and Philadelphia, the man stated.
Every day, around 150,000 cars, including 14,000 trucks, use it. The health of our economy depends on it.
With Biden by his side, Shapiro said: “I can state with confidence that we will have I-95 reopened within the next two weeks.
This is good news for both commuters and long-haul truckers.” The fantastic work done here will allow us to restart the traffic flow.
Through this endeavor, he claimed, “people here in Philadelphia have a renewed sense of civic pride” and “there’s something special happening in our community” with individuals cooperating.
The main north-south route along the East Coast was partially destroyed early on Sunday after a tractor-trailer carrying gasoline overturned and caught fire on an off-ramp.
According to state transportation officials, the motorist got lost while attempting to handle a bend.
“I’ve directed my team … to move heaven and earth to get this done as soon as possible,” Biden said. He told the governor, “There’s no more important project right now in the country as far as I’m concerned.” The president described it as an “all hands on deck” project to address a “crisis.”
“We’re with you. We’re going to stay with you until this is rebuilt until it’s finished,” he said at the briefing.
According to Pennsylvania’s plan, 2,000 tons of lightweight glass nuggets will be trucked in for the speedy reconstruction, and teams will work nonstop until the freeway is passable.
According to Shapiro, workers will use recycled glass to fill the collapsed region instead of immediately reconstructing the overpass. This will save supply-chain delays for other materials.
According to officials, a substitute bridge will be constructed close by to redirect traffic while workers remove the fill to repair the exit ramp.
According to Biden, the concept was “very inventive to get this work done in record time.
Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary, paid a visit to the region on Tuesday and pledged that the federal government would provide the assistance required to repair the damage.
However, he cautioned that because truckers will now have to take longer routes, the wreckage will likely increase consumer goods’ prices in the near future.
Shapiro, Democratic Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman, Representative Brendan Boyle, and Mayor Jim Kenney accompanied Biden aboard the presidential Marine One chopper. Later on Saturday, Biden was scheduled to join union employees at the convention center for a 2024 campaign event.
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