Less than two weeks after a bridge collapsed along Interstate 95 through Philadelphia, the road is reopening.

What You Need To Know

  • Starting Friday, drivers can travel on I-95 through Philadelphia using a temporary six-lane roadway

  • A portion of I-95 has been out of commission since June 11, when a tractor-trailer carrying gasoline flipped over and caught fire

  • The temporary north-south road has three lanes of traffic in each direction

  • About 160,000 vehicles drive that section of I-95 daily

One of the main East Coast thoroughfares has been closed since June 11, when a tractor-trailer carrying gasoline flipped over and caught fire on an off-ramp, killing the driver.

Starting Friday, drivers will be able to travel on a temporary six-lane roadway that’s been built to accommodate north-south traffic while a permanent bridge is being constructed.

The interim roadway has three travel lanes in each direction. About 160,000 vehicles travel on that section of I-95 daily, according to the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll announced the reopening late Thursday.

"Thanks to the crews that have worked around the clock to repair I-95, six lanes of traffic will reopen to motorists at 12:00 p.m. ET tomorrow," Shapiro's office said Thursday.

In a statement, President Joe Biden hailed the swift reopening of the highway, praising the workers, lawmakers and officials involved who made it possible.

"When I visited Philadelphia on Saturday and met with local officials and union workers, I made clear: my Administration would move heaven and earth to reopen I-95 as soon as possible," Biden said. "Thanks to the grit and determination of operating engineers, laborers, cement finishers, carpenters, teamsters, and so many other proud union workers doing shifts around the clock, I-95 is reopening. And it’s ahead of schedule."

Biden highlighted that the repair is being 100% funded by the federal government and his administration's efforts to eliminate red tape for quick approvals. "We are proving that when we work together, there is nothing we cannot do.."

"I grew up in Claymont, Delaware, not far from the damaged stretch of I-95. I know how important it is to people’s quality of life, the local economy, and the 150,000 vehicles that travel on it every day," the president said. "That’s why I’m so proud of the hard-working men and women on site who put their heads down, stayed at it, and got I-95 reopened in record time.
 
"This is an important step forward," Biden concluded. "We’ll be here to provide whatever it takes to keep the permanent repairs on track."