Portion of Interstate 95 collapses in Philadelphia after tanker fire burns under overpass (Darby: home, neighborhoods)

[NewtownBucks]

https://twitter.com/i/status/1668405935331483648

[NewtownBucks]

Originally Posted by NYtoNJtoPA

The driver is dead. His remains were found where the bridge collapsed. Saw that this morning.

This is a road I depend on regularly to get into the city. I planned my commute this morning around it, managing to avoid "The Boulevard" which is what detours are directing motorists to use. I avoid that road like the plague. Looks like I'll be using 295 in South Jersey a lot in the next few weeks. Glad my company covers tolls.

We all know how long there has been construction on this road. I am hoping it is not longer than a few months. The governor declared it an emergency and is getting federal aid. I can't fathom what it would be like in the winter if it's still closed. Local roads stay closed sometimes for over a year, but this is an interstate highway, a major throughfare that spans the entire east coast, not a small road. I'd like to think everyone would be pushing to get it done ASAP. Maybe it will be a wakeup call for these union thugs who want to stretch construction out as long as possible.

I took the TP connector and NJTP south to Exit 4 then took NJ 38 to the Admiral Wilson Blvd to the Benny. It was only 15 mins or so longer than normal, although I have to look up on EZ Pass how much I spent on that because it might be cost prohibitive to use the TP and $5 bridge charge that regularly. I'm going to try taking the train from Cornwall Heights tomorrow for comparison and see how that goes.

[discndav]

Originally Posted by NewtownBucks

I have to look up on EZ Pass how much I spent on that because it might be cost prohibitive to use the TP and $5 bridge charge that regularly..

With EZPass sign up for "DRPA Discount Plan" which credit you $18/month if you meet the monthly minimum of 18 bridge crossings. https://www.ezpassnj.com/en/about/plans.shtml

[BBMW]

How is this effecting traffic coming down the NJTP and going west on 276?

[NewtownBucks]

Took 95 to the Betsy then 130 to the BB bridge to get back to 95/295 in PA last night. There was a small backup at the exit (~5 mins), but the primary backup was for people exiting on Aramingo onto the neighborhood detour. Once the lane split on the exit to go to the bridge, that lane was moving fine. Traffic on 130N and the BB bridge was no different than I've seen it before.

Based on my afternoon experience, I decided to try 130 coming in this morning. There was a backup on 413 in PA leading up to the BB bridge, but after crossing into NJ, traffic on 130 S moved pretty much like normal, and there was no abnormal backup at the Benny tolls. I've seen horror stories of the "official" detours through the neighborhoods taking 45 mins to and hour, especially northbound on Aramingo and Tacony St, which is longer than the short jaunt on State Rd going southbound (where the primary backup seems to be on 95 from Academy or even approaching Woodhaven down to the Cottman exit onto State Rd).

I'm still going to try the train from Cornwell Heights at some point, but driving, I think 130 is the safest and fastest alternative. Both trips on 130 (out yesterday and in today) were about 10 mins longer than my normal commute on 95.

[Duderino]

Originally Posted by NewtownBucks

I'm still going to try the train from Cornwell Heights at some point, but driving, I think 130 is the safest and fastest alternative. Both trips on 130 (out yesterday and in today) were about 10 mins longer than my normal commute on 95.

That's really not bad at all; great to hear. It's likely, in that case, that SEPTA's extra capacity is doing everyone a solid.

[NewtownBucks]

I braved the detour on the way in today. Thursday is typically a lighter traffic day anyway. I hit the closure before 7, but they have the detour process working pretty smoothly. 95 is reduced to 2 lanes just after Academy and then down to one close to the Cottman off ramp, but then it expands back to 2 at the bottom of the ramp. Both lanes turn right at the light then left onto State Rd and then continue all the back onto the on-ramp back onto 95. The southbound detour is probably only a half mile long and traffic is blocked from getting on State Rd from the neighborhood and the lights are set to blink so two lanes of traffic basically flow at about 20-25 mph through the detour and back onto the highway. I was early enough that the backup to the exit ramp wasn't too bad (only 10 mins maybe), the detour was easy to navigate, and the typical backup between Girard and Vine wasn't there. This should be feasible as well, depending on how bad the bottleneck to get off 95 at Cottman gets closer to rush hour.

I'm not even going to attempt the detour going northbound, though. That starts at Aramingo/Betsy and goes all the way up to Cottman on Tacony St, which is much longer. Delays have been up to an hour in this mess.

[suzy_q2010]

https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia...ro-aggregates/

[NJDevil]

Thanks for that link. A temporary roadway? Maybe it's not as scary as it sounds.

[move4ward]

The 95SB detour is rerouted, after utility pole comes down on car. Accident is at State Rd and Princeton Ave.

https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news...crash/3586971/
From Tim Jimenez NBC10:

PECO is now here on scene. We’re being told a tractor trailer took down the wires and the pole snapped onto this car. Until this is cleared the State Rd detour will need a detour.