The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced that northbound Interstate 95 will be closed and detoured from Saturday evening, February 3, to Monday morning, February 5, between Columbus Boulevard (Exit 20) and Interstate 676 (Exit 22). This closure comes as PennDOT begins partial demolition of the existing concrete covering over I-95 between Chestnut and Walnut streets under the $329 million project to replace and expand the covered area at Penn’s Landing in Center City Philadelphia.
During the closure, northbound I-95 will remain open to Columbus Boulevard (Exit 20) for local traffic only.
Motorists are advised of the following travel restrictions:
- From 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM Saturday, February 3, a single-lane closure will be in place on northbound I-95 between the Columbus Boulevard (Exit 20) and I-676 (Exit 22) interchanges.
- From 6:00 PM Saturday, February 3, to 5:00 AM Monday, February 5, northbound I-95 will be closed and detoured between Columbus Boulevard (Exit 20) and the northbound ramp from I-676 (Exit 22)
From 6:00 PM Saturday, February 3, to 5:00 AM Monday, February 5, the following ramps will be closed:
- Ramp to northbound I-95/I-676 from just north of Washington Avenue at Columbus Boulevard
- Ramp to northbound I-95 from Lombard Circle at Columbus Boulevard
- Ramp to northbound I-95 from westbound I-76 from New Jersey/Walt Whitman Bridge
- Ramp to northbound I-95 from Front Street
Motorists are advised to avoid the closure area because significant backups will occur on I-95 approaching the work area, and on Columbus Boulevard and surface streets in the vicinity of the work area.
Pedestrian access between Center City and the waterfront will be maintained on Dock Street and Market Street during construction.
During the closure, access to I-95 North — but not I-676 West — will be available at the ramp from Summer Street at Columbus Boulevard just north of the Ben Franklin Bridge; or by continuing north on Columbus Boulevard to the Girard Avenue/Aramingo Interchange (Exit 23).
To reach I-676, motorists will be directed to either continue north on Columbus Boulevard, turn left on Spring Garden Street, and left on 6th Street to access I-676 East; or take Spring Garden Street and turn left on 8th Street to access westbound I-676. Motorists can also continue north on Columbus Boulevard to the Girard Avenue/Aramingo Interchange (Exit 23) and use I-95 South to access I-676 West.
Traffic heading north on I-95 from south of the Walt Whitman Bridge; and traffic on westbound I-76 from New Jersey will be advised to use I-76 West and I-676 East to access I-95 North.
A number of additional regional and local detours will also be in place in the vicinity of the work area. Electronic message boards on I-76, I-276, I-476, and other regional transportation arteries in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey will be used to alert motorists about the closure and provide specific alternate routes.
The northbound closure will allow PennDOT’s contractors to begin taking down the section of the reinforced concrete covering over the northbound lanes of I-95. Additional closures of I-95 will be scheduled at a later date to demolish the remaining parts of the northbound cover and the covering over southbound I-95.
The date for the February 3-5 weekend closure was coordinated with neighboring states, Delaware and New Jersey, along with the City of Philadelphia, the Sports Complex, SEPTA, and other stakeholders and transportation agencies across the region.
By replacing and extending the cap over I-95 and Columbus Boulevard between Chestnut and Walnut streets, the I-95 Central Access Philadelphia (CAP) Project will improve pedestrian and multimodal connections between Center City and the waterfront. The project has two main components: a new Park at Penn’s Landing, and a new signature bridge at South Street, both of which will also extend over Columbus Boulevard to connect cyclists and pedestrians to the newly completed Delaware River Trail.
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