Major Construction Project On Stretch Of I-95 In NE Philly Comes To End
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's music to the ears of drivers who have endured traffic troubles along Interstate 95 in Northeast Philadelphia.
Years of construction on one stretch of the highway is complete and the barriers went away late Wednesday night.
PennDOT's Brad Rudolph says main line construction along I-95 between Cottman Avenue and Bridge Street is done and crews are fully re-opening the northbound and southbound lanes of the highway.
"It's going to allow people to get on the interstate and have more of an acceleration lane and an extra lane to travel through," Rudolph said.
"So it won't be a lane merging into three lanes it'll be a through lane that will carry you through from Cottman to Bridge Street."
Rudolph says crews replaced seven bridges along the highway; upgraded four existing ramps; built 13 retaining walls; and installed storm water drainage pipes and electronic equipment to better monitor traffic flow.
He says the remainder of the more than $200 million I-95 project involving extension of Princeton Avenue and reconstruction of New State Road is set to be done by next fall.