Interstate 95 in Philadelphia was reopened on Friday, thanks to a rebuild process that moved ahead of schedule, making the road traversable less than two weeks after a deadly collapse.
Traffic has now resumed on the heavily used East Coast highway, as workers finished installing an interim six-lane roadway. The temporary fix will serve travelers as construction crews continue to work around the clock to bring back a permanent bridge.
The reopened portion was made accessible around 12:30 p.m. on Friday, as live footage from the area showed cars begin to flow across.
“This was a moment of civic pride for Philly and Pennsylvania,” said Gov. Josh Shapiro during a press conference at the site. “We show that when we work together, we can get s—- done here in Pennsylvania.”
Following the press conference, the new roadway was christened with a parade of firetrucks, including one carrying the five mascots of Philadelphia’s pro sports teams. Sirens blared in celebration, as construction workers watched and cheered the motorcade from the sides.
“We enjoy doing the work, getting things done like this and making sure that we get Philly back up on its feet,” said construction worker April Allen, who high-fived colleagues as vehicles began to cross the roadway.
It’s been less than two weeks since the June 11 incident, in which a raised section of the roadway collapsed after a tanker truck carrying gasoline crashed and went up in flames underneath.
The driver, who died in the crash, had allegedly lost control while going around a curve, according to state officials. There were no other deaths or injuries reported in the event.
Since then, roughly 2,000 tons of lightweight glass nuggets have been brought in for an innovative rebuild of the interstate that President Joe Biden called “critical to our economy,” and “critical to our quality of life.”