After a tanker fire and bridge collapse in Philadelphia shut down portions of I-95 near Cottman Avenue, officials announced plans to create a temporary roadway using innovative materials.
In a press conference, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced Wednesday that temporary lanes will be constructed on I-95 near the accident site. A backfill mix will be used to fill in the gap before being paved over, opening the roadway again while a permanent bridge is constructed around it.
The special backfill mix will be brought in by Aero Aggregates, a company located 25 miles away from the collapse in Eddystone in Delaware County.
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What is the I-95 temporary reconstruction material made of?
The material in the special fill is known as Ultra-Lightweight Foamed Glass Aggregate and is made from recycled glass baked at high heat with a special foam, creating a material similar to rock.
Aero Aggregates anticipates shipping nearly 20,000 cubic yards of the material to the collapse site, which will then be layered between metal caging on the roughly 100-foot-long accident site before being paved over to create six lanes for drivers.
Buckley & Company, a Philadelphia-based contractor that previously rebuilt a section of I-95 in Port Richmond in 1996 following an arson incident, will spearhead the reconstruction using UL-FGA, officials said.
Why is the special fill being used?
UL-FGA is known for being durable, lightweight and staying in place, qualities that are needed to prevent the road from sinking, according to officials.
If a heavier material is used, the additional weight on the soft soil beneath the structure could cause problems.
This material is reported to be in use across the state already, having bolstered the tarmac at the Philadelphia International Airport.
What does this mean for the reconstruction timeline?
While Shapiro has declared the reconstruction efforts a top priority and said work will be done as quickly as possible, a cost estimate hasn’t been released and there is no concrete timeline for how long it will take to reconstruct the temporary lanes.
On Thursday morning, construction vehicles began the first of many commutes to the repair site. Officials expect to see 50 truckloads of material transported to the site per day, a delivery effort aided by a Pennsylvania State Police escort. Trucks may use the closed northbound lanes of I-95 to travel to the site.
Once repairs are made, three lanes will then be open in each direction while the state works to build a permanent bridge and replace the collapsed section, according to Shapiro, who added that the remains of the current bridge are expected to be demolished Thursday.
According to the latest projections, I-95 is expected to be closed in both directions for weeks.
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