“We’re going to get traffic moving again, thanks to the extraordinary work that’s going on here,” Shapiro (D) said during remarks at Philadelphia International Airport after a flyover that included Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation and the city’s mayor. “I-95 will be reopened within the next two weeks.”
Biden said the federal government would fully reimburse the first phase of the reconstruction, and then contribute 90 percent of the cost.
“As far as I’m concerned there’s no important plan for the country right now,” the president said, noting that labor groups are unionized. “I want to say, people of Philadelphia, we’re with you. We’re going to be with you” until the job is done.
I-95 is the main north-south highway on the East Coast and is essential for commuters, truckers and other commuters. It has been closed since June 11 after a tractor-trailer hauling petrol tried to round a curve under a critical flyover that carries 160,000 vehicles a day.
Pennsylvania officials have announced that the bridge’s reconstruction will be expedited using 2,000 tons of lightweight recycled glass. The glass will be piled into the void to bring it to surface level, clearing the way for construction crews to pave the road relatively quickly.
A permanent replacement bridge is expected to be built next to it, officials said, so traffic can be rerouted while the exit is rebuilt. That work is expected to take several months to complete.
Matt Visser in Philadelphia contributed to this report.
