Philly I-95 collapse sends drivers scrambling. What we found on the official detour route

James McGinnis, Bucks County Courier Times
Updated ·3 min read
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Get ready to creep.

Your commute to Center City, Citizens Bank Park, Lincoln Financial Field, the Wells Fargo Center, or Philadelphia International Airport is now going to be a slow-moving — a literal — national disaster.

The collapse of a portion of I-95 has shutdown more than seven miles of interstate in Northeast Philadelphia, upending travel for an estimated 160,000 daily travelers.

Here's a look at the traffic conditions Tuesday for a morning commute and following the designated route south from Levittown to Center City.

Spoiler alert: The journey is peppered in orange cones and caution tape. Police block most intersections. The Achilles tendon aches after so much time pumping the brakes.  Some will get lost in the detour signs.

The trip from Bucks County to Center City can easily be done, depending on time of day and traffic, from 30 to 35 minutes. Tuesday's trip included two slow downs each over 30 minutes long. Buckle up, here we go.

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A vehicle fire shut down I-95 southbound in Philadelphia.
A vehicle fire shut down I-95 southbound in Philadelphia.

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How is the traffic after the I-95 collapse?

7:55 a.m. (Route 413/I-95 Interchange in Bristol Township)

Heading south from Levittown for the morning commute, traffic was light with few vehicles on the roadway. Drivers were moving at more than 65 mph down the four-lane highway.

7:58 a.m. (Street Road/I-95 interchange in Bensalem)

At the last exit in Bucks County, the interstate remained light on traffic. Drivers continued to move at speeds exceeding 65 mph.

8:02 a.m. (Academy Road/I-95 interchange)

With the first exit into Philadelphia, traffic was starting to slow down and vehicles were being funneled down into a single lane on the four-lane highway. Vehicles were moving at about 5 mph. Some drivers were illegally traveling on the blocked areas of the highway to cut the lines.

8:36 a.m. (Cottman Avenue /I-95 interchange)

After 34 minutes of bumper-to-bumper traffic on the highway, all drivers were forced onto the two-lane Bleigh Avenue in Philadelphia's Tacony section, where caution tape limited access to local roads. About a dozen police are positioned at the exit ramp.

8:38 a.m. (State Road through Tacony)

Drivers were directed onto the two-lane State Road, which was undergoing repairs before the destruction of I-95 on Sunday morning when a tanker truck fire caused the lanes near Cottman to collapse. This section of State Road was pimpled with potholes. Some drivers were illegally driving on the sidewalk. Motorists should expect a bumpy ride.

8:41 a.m. (I-95 Southbound)

State Road connects to I-95 on a southbound ramp. After a delay of approximately 35 minutes, drivers were back on the interstate highway and heading south toward Center City and the sports complex.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro walking to the podium to brief the media after an elevated portion of the heavily traveled I-95 collapsed in Philadelphia on Sunday morning due to a vehicle fire. on June 11, 2023.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro walking to the podium to brief the media after an elevated portion of the heavily traveled I-95 collapsed in Philadelphia on Sunday morning due to a vehicle fire. on June 11, 2023.

How long will it take to fix I-95?

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited the I-95 disaster site Tuesday to assess the damage. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has said he believes it will be months before the highway is reopened.

For now, drivers are directed on the following detours:

  • Southbound I-95 detour

    • Exit I-95 southbound at Cottman Avenue.

    • At the end of the ramp, right on Bleigh Street.

    • Follow Bleigh to State Road, make a left onto State.

    • Travel State Road South to Longshore Avenue.

    • Re-enter I-95 southbound at State Road and Longshore Avenue.

  • Northbound I-95 detour

    • Exit I-95 at Aramingo Avenue.

    • At the end of the ramp, make a left onto Aramingo Avenue.

    • Follow Aramingo Avenue to Tacony Street. Turn right.

    • Take Tacony Street northbound around Tacony-Palmyra Bridge loop to New State Road. Continue northbound.

    • Travel New State Road to Milnor Street and re-enter I-95 northbound.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: I-95 collapse detour is a slow, long ride from Bucks County to Philly