Part of overpass on I-95 in NE Philly collapses after tanker fire

[Roadsguy]

...This couldn't have happened on one of the sections that hasn't been rebuilt yet?

[Dough4872]

Looked at the DelDOT app and VMSs on I-95 northbound past the DE 896 and DE 1 interchanges are mentioning the closure in Pennsylvania and directing truck traffic to use I-295 to New Jersey.

[The Ghostbuster]

I just came across this story. What a mess!

[bing101]

Dang this looks like the one time I-85 Collapsed in Atlanta and it was like that.

[Mr. Matté]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtWdkWuAA2N/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Someone posted a video driving through the scene this morning. This seems like a complete fail on the part of the PD (whether staties or Phila Police). The fire started around 6 am and I wouldn't know who would let traffic continue to drive over the scene, whether the bridge was sagging or not.

[kalvado]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtWdkWuAA2N/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Someone posted a video driving through the scene this morning. This seems like a complete fail on the part of the PD (whether staties or Phila Police). The fire started around 6 am and I wouldn't know who would let traffic continue to drive over the scene, whether the bridge was sagging or not.

We got used to that level of smoke over the past week anyway...

[famartin]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtWdkWuAA2N/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Someone posted a video driving through the scene this morning. This seems like a complete fail on the part of the PD (whether staties or Phila Police). The fire started around 6 am and I wouldn't know who would let traffic continue to drive over the scene, whether the bridge was sagging or not.

We got used to that level of smoke over the past week anyway...

Not really but 

Do we know what time that video was shot?  Looked pretty early.

[1995hoo]

We're approaching the location now. Train is crawling; they said it's because of "signal issues."  Don't know whether I'll be able to see anything, but if I can I'll post whatever pictures I can manage.

Edited to add: Couldn't see enough to get pictures. Loads of emergency vehicles, and it sure looks strange to look over and see no traffic on I-95. Maybe the train issue was a signal because we sped up (but not back to full speed) before we reached the incident.

[Dough4872]

https://www.phila.gov/2023-06-11-updates-on-the-i-95-fire-and-partial-highway-collapse/ I-676, I-76, US 1, and PA 63 is being used as the detour around the closed section of I-95.

[brad2971]

They say the bridge will be closed for weeks. But can't they use accelerated bridge construction and replace it in a day or two?

The technology you keep trying to push is only good in an ideal world, Kernals.

To be fair to Kernals12, there is a big vacant lot near the overpass where the accelerated bridge can be built. How to steer it into place is another matter, though. If the experiences of other situations apply (I-85-Atlanta, I-580 Macarthur Maze), Philly is looking at around 30 days before people are driving on the replacment.

[kalvado]

They say the bridge will be closed for weeks. But can't they use accelerated bridge construction and replace it in a day or two?

The technology you keep trying to push is only good in an ideal world, Kernals.

To be fair to Kernals12, there is a big vacant lot near the overpass where the accelerated bridge can be built. How to steer it into place is another matter, though. If the experiences of other situations apply (I-85-Atlanta, I-580 Macarthur Maze), Philly is looking at around 30 days before people are driving on the replacment.

I wonder how much sense it makes to build it on a vacant lot while actual spot would seat empty. keeping southbound traffic going may be a concern, but other than that?...

[Ted$8roadFan]

I wonder if this will lead to more thru traffic using I-295 and the NJ Turnpike to get around the collapse. 

[Dough4872]

I wonder if this will lead to more thru traffic using I-295 and the NJ Turnpike to get around the collapse.

As I mentioned upthread, there are VMSs along I-95 northbound in Delaware directing trucks to I-295 to New Jersey

[famartin]

They say the bridge will be closed for weeks. But can't they use accelerated bridge construction and replace it in a day or two?

The technology you keep trying to push is only good in an ideal world, Kernals.

To be fair to Kernals12, there is a big vacant lot near the overpass where the accelerated bridge can be built. How to steer it into place is another matter, though. If the experiences of other situations apply (I-85-Atlanta, I-580 Macarthur Maze), Philly is looking at around 30 days before people are driving on the replacment.

I wonder how much sense it makes to build it on a vacant lot while actual spot would seat empty. keeping southbound traffic going may be a concern, but other than that?...

Given the sagging of the other overpass, I'd guess they'll need to make significant repairs on that as well if not replace it outright also.

[J N Winkler]

If I were PennDOT, I would be planning to replace the entire bridge, with a goal of having it open to traffic within two months.  I-85 in Atlanta took 53 days (counting from the day the fire started?) and the I-580 connector in the MacArthur Maze took 26 days of construction.

Buttigieg has offered help, and I would be taking him at his word, since this is going to be expensive as hell.  Caltrans paid an incentive of $200,000 for each day saved from the projected two-month construction period for the I-580 connector--almost $7 million just to get it open to traffic ASAP.

[ilpt4u]

The missing I-95/PA Turnpike ramps between 276 to the west and 95 to the south, both from and to, might have been useful in this scenario, so 476+276 would make a useful western bypass loop

I guess the NJTP + I-95/PATP ramps do the same as the eastern bypass loop

[famartin]

The missing I-95/PA Turnpike ramps between 276 to the west and 95 to the south, both from and to, might have been useful in this scenario, so 476+276 would make a useful western bypass loop

To some extent, but Woodhaven Road serves that function too.

[mgk920]

Over the past few decades, Caltrans also replaced two damaged freeway bridges, both in a month or so, paying HEFTY 'early completion' bonuses to the contractors.

Mike

[bing101]

If I didn't look at this on what took place on I-95 I would have guessed a quake took a section of freeway down like what happened in 1994 during the Northridge quake. However in this case it's a fire that melted parts of the road down though.

[vdeane]

https://6abc.com/interstate-95-collapse-i-95-fire-philly-overpass-tanker/13368736/

Truck was under the overpass from northbound exit 30 to Cottman Avenue (Tacony neighborhood). Looks like this was a relatively new overpass (GSV shows it in by 2016) but I guess you can't exactly design for high temperature fires all the time.

Did anyone else initially think this was about a bridge over I-95 and not I-95 itself because the OP said overpass (terming it relative to the local road, but not specifying such in language people not from the area would get without looking at Google Maps).

[jeffandnicole]

https://6abc.com/interstate-95-collapse-i-95-fire-philly-overpass-tanker/13368736/

Truck was under the overpass from northbound exit 30 to Cottman Avenue (Tacony neighborhood). Looks like this was a relatively new overpass (GSV shows it in by 2016) but I guess you can't exactly design for high temperature fires all the time.

While high (and low) temperature are pretty bad for steel, and hard to design for (cough... world trade center), I have a different question about all this.  I wonder if there was a reason for the driver to stop under the bridge? The only way to get where he ended up is by taking exit 30 from the highway.  Stopping literally 100 feet earlier would leave the fire burn in the open; pulling another 100' forward would be a fire in the middle of an intersection...
Of course, it's possible that driver noted something in a rear view during the turn off-ramp, and didn't think much about anything else...

I believe the truck driver took the ramp too fast, hit the bridge abutment, crashed, and stopped disabled under the overpass. It wasn't a case where the truck just suddenly caught fire in mid-travel and the driver decided to abandon it under an overpass.

[jeffandnicole]

While many have referenced Atlanta's similar incident, Philly also had a similar collapse on 1096. I-495 in Wilmington also had a closure due to a tilting issue several years ago also. And I think I-80 in North Jersey alsohad a similar issue a number of years ago. So this area has had relative experience in dealing with extended highway closures.

https://6abc.com/interstate-95-collapse-i-95-fire-philadelphia-i95-closed-1996-in-philly/13369393/

The best thing going for the region: numerous other highway options to get around. DelDOT is sending a poor message and should be suggesting all thru traffic use NJ's I-295 or the Turnpike; not just Truck traffic.

[MASTERNC]

Looked at the DelDOT app and VMSs on I-95 northbound past the DE 896 and DE 1 interchanges are mentioning the closure in Pennsylvania and directing truck traffic to use I-295 to New Jersey.

Looks like Maryland is warning of the closure as far south as BWI Airport

[J N Winkler]

Did anyone else initially think this was about a bridge over I-95 and not I-95 itself because the OP said overpass (terming it relative to the local road, but not specifying such in language people not from the area would get without looking at Google Maps).

I didn't, because I first heard of this incident through a post on FreewayJim when doing my morning Facebook check, and the accompanying picture showed a bridge wide enough that it clearly had to be part of mainline I-95.

I've had to get used to seeing overpass and underpass used interchangeably since even road enthusiasts aren't necessarily aware that in engineering contexts, they have distinct meanings according to whether the cross traffic passes under or over the freeway.  It's a bit like BGS versus large guide sign, or the old debate over whether Super Two means a two-lane highway with shoulders or just a two-lane freeway.

[Roadgeekteen]

Poor US 1 and I-295 and US 130...