Pa. lawmakers extend emergency declaration to keep fixing where I-95 collapsed

Months after the fiery collapse of Interstate 95 in Northeast Philadelphia, the emergency status that allows for streamlined repairs continues.

On Wednesday, state Rep. Anthony Bellmon, D-Philadelphia, announced that a concurrent House and Senate resolution extends the emergency proclamation of I-95 in Philadelphia through May 29, 2024. The Senate passed the extension Monday after the House passed it in December.

"The disaster declaration allows the state to continue to access emergency funding and follow streamlined rules for repair work," Bellmon's office said.

This was the third time the emergency status was extended since the June 11, 2023 collapse.

Bellmon called I-95 "critical" to "the entire Northeast United States."

“It is important that we cut as much red tape as possible to let PennDOT finish the job of rebuilding the highway so it is safe to travel on for years to come."

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Less than two weeks after the June 2023 collapse, crews working around the clock on a livestream got a temporary roadway open to drivers at the collapsed overpass at Cottman Avenue. The occasion was marked by Philadelphia sports mascots riding a fire truck and Gov. Josh Shapiro's claim that "We can get s*** done here in Pennsylvania."

In the weeks that followed, crews have worked to build permanent overpasses so that both northbound and southbound traffic could continue to flow. In November, some northbound lanes reopened.

The work to get the highway fully back to normal continues.