If you plan to cruise northbound on I-95 in South Philly next week, brace yourself for a spate of nighttime closures aimed at mending bridges that have seen better days. PennDOT has earmarked a whopping $40.3 million for the project, destined to cover high-priority repairs on 27 bridges in the city that desperately need a facelift to keep the corridor safe and functional.
For night owls and nocturnal commuters, here are the specifics: From Monday, March 10, through Friday, March 14, there will be single and double lane closures in effect from 9 PM to 5 AM right beyond the Walt Whitman Bridge Interchange. Buckle up for potential delays and an advisory to pad your journey with some extra minutes—or hours. According to PennDOT's declaration, all these plans are at the mercy of the weather's whims.
The contractor, IEW Construction Group, Inc., out of Hamilton, N.J., will tackle a laundry list of fixes, from patching up weary bridge decks to touching up substructure bits that have taken a beating over time. The superstructures are set for a serious refurb, with work planned for steel repairs, crack welding, and much more.
But that’s not all—substructures will get their share of TLC, with bearings and concrete getting spruced up. Plus, a nice coat of paint for those overhead signs and a snazzy LED upgrade for road lighting. This substantial endeavor, funded entirely by federal dollars, should wrap up by late 2027, as the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reported.
For those who want to stay in the know, the 511PA website and app are at your service, providing real-time traffic updates, weather forecasts, and more than a thousand traffic cams to keep you informed.
