Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) provided an update on Saturday, regarding the collapsed I-95 overpass, coming less than a week after a fuel tanker truck caught fire underneath the bridge, resulting in the death of the truck’s driver.
“Today, I can state with confidence: We will have I-95 open within the next two weeks,” Shapiro tweeted. “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.”
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Shapiro provided a live press conference to discuss the update, which President Joe Biden attended while visiting the state as part of his reelection campaign. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was notably absent from Biden’s press conference, where the President noted the highway would be restored “ahead of schedule.”
“The Federal government committed that we’re gonna reimburse 100% of this phase of the work and well over the first 200 days,” Biden said. “And then after that, 90% of the work. We’ll be here until the end. We won’t leave until it’s finished.”
Watch live as @POTUS and I share an update about the progress we’ve made to rebuild I-95 as safely and efficiently as possible.
All hands on deck. https://t.co/qBplQMdh5M
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) June 17, 2023
Since “the Federal Government provided funds to help build the Interstate System, States own and operate the roads,” per the Department of Transportation website. The Highway Trust Fund has more than $94 billion, as of May.
Gov. Shapiro pinned a tweet to his account to display a livestream of the construction work being done to repair the impacted portion of I-95, which is ongoing 24/7.
The livestream is here, Pennsylvania.
To chart our progress and give everyone a sense of timing, we’re launching our 24/7 livestream where you can watch I-95 get rebuilt.
Government is working for the good people of Pennsylvania. https://t.co/C10d2Z8SCt
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) June 15, 2023
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A tanker truck carrying a “petroleum-based product” caught fire under the interstate near Cottman Avenue early Sunday morning, causing the northbound overpass to collapse. It also affected the structural soundness of the southbound lanes.
The demolition of the overpass was completed on Thursday.
