Philadelphia I-95 collapse causing headaches for travelers along East Coast: '(Roads) are going to be very bad'

BALTIMORE - A fuel tanker caught fire Sunday morning, causing the collapse of a portion of I-95 North in Philadelphia.

The fallout is creating even more havoc for travelers in the Northeast, including in Maryland.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said it could take months for the interstate to be repaired.

For commuters or just drivers on vacation, this may have a major impact on your plans.

"It's just frightening. It really was," traveler Kitty Garcia told WJZ.

At the Maryland House Travel Plaza on I-95, travelers are concerned by the impact of the overpass collapse just a little bit north of them.

"It was alarming," said Maryel Rodgers. "The first thing that came to my mind is, 'Was anyone injured? Was anyone killed?'"

Joanne Beaucejour is driving north on I-95 to Connecticut to visit her family.

Now, she has to get through the inconvenience of a portion of the I-95 shutdown.

Fortunately, no one was injured.

"Going back home," Beaucejour said. We were down for the weekend visiting family."

Beaucejour told WJZ she's fueled up and committed to staying the course.

"That's what I decided to do because taking another route would take us up into Pennsylvania and up in the mountains," she said.

About 160,000 vehicles a day use that stretch of I-95 through Philadelphia.

The effects are being felt up and down the East Coast's busiest highway.

"It's a major artery. What's it going to do to commerce?" Rodgers said.

"(Roads) are going to be very bad," Garcia said. It's going to interfere with holiday plans. It's going to interfere with weekends."

Johns Hopkins civil engineer Thomas Gernay says it's tough to give a timeline for the fix.

"In the past, bridge fire accidents, they were able to act relatively quickly and reopen the section sometimes within four to eight weeks," Gernay said.

Engineers will look closely at the surrounding structure and road.

"We've been vigilant about where we can go and where we need to get off," Garcia said.

Drivers told WJZ they are resigned to delays.

"It's OK. As long as we get home safe," Beaucejour said. "Even if we have to sit in the car for a few hours, it's OK."

Federal Department of Transportation officials are urging other modes of transit, like trains.

If you are driving through, build extra travel time into your trip.