I-95/Cottman Ave. Emergency Bridge Replacement

Sector: Roads
Location: Philadelphia, PA | Owner: PennDOT District 6-0 | Cost: $26.5 Million | Completion: 2024

Details: JBC Associates has been providing Construction Inspection services to PennDOT for structure and highway reconstruction projects as part of the I-95 Corridor Improvements for over 25 years.

On June 11th, 2023, a tanker truck overturned and exploded while trying to exit northbound I-95 onto westbound Cottman Avenue, causing the northbound half of the 104-ft-long welded steel I-beam bridge to collapse within minutes.

Immediately, Federal, state and city agencies came together to formulate a plan to get the critical highway infrastructure back open for traffic. JBC Associates was asked by PennDOT to join the I-95 Emergency Bridge Response team to perform Construction Inspection services on the I-95 temporary bridge repair.

Following demolition of the damaged bridge a 70’ wide highway gap remained where the bridge once stood. A temporary stabilized wall system backfilled with lightweight recycled foamed glass aggregate (UL-FGA) was installed. (This foamed glass aggregate was used for the first time on a US roadway in 2018 when JBC provided CM/CI services during the Langley Avenue Reconstruction at The Navy Yard in Philadelphia.) The aggregate served as the foundation for the temporary roadway allowing 3 lanes northbound and 3 lanes southbound to open for traffic.

What might have taken months to complete came together quickly, due to everyone’s willingness to work collectively and cut through any red tape. The various response teams worked non-stop to get traffic moving on this crucial national interstate, which carries 160,000 vehicles daily. More than 200 building trade workers participated in the project working 24/7 on 12-hour shifts under the gaze of a live camera feed that drew thousands of viewers. The video was played in local bars and on the scoreboard at Citizens Bank Park during a Phillies game. Governor Josh Shapiro and PA Secretary of Transportation, Mike Carroll, were on-site at regular intervals during construction and on hand at the emergency bridge opening congratulating everyone involved in this tremendous effort.

The new temporary roadway section was finished with bituminous pavement and opened to traffic on June 23rd, 2023, in a record 12 days after the collapse – well ahead of experts’ predictions!

Once the temporary roadway opened, work quickly began to rebuild the permanent bridge structure. JBC staff continued to provide Construction Inspection and Maintenance and Protection of Traffic services during the rebuilding of this section of I-95. The plans called for construction of the permanent structure starting from the outside lanes toward the center, allowing three lanes of traffic to continue in north and southbound directions during construction—providing 75% of interstate capacity during construction.

When traffic was shifted to the outer portion of the permanent replacement bridge, the team then removed the temporary roadway and built the inner half of the permanent replacement bridge in its place. Construction of the permanent bridge allowed the roadway to fully open to traffic in July of 2024.

This 13-month emergency bridge repair and replacement project, which finished ahead of schedule, made national headlines, showing the possibilities of inter-governmental agency collaboration, sustainable material technology and the power of teamwork.