Demolition of damaged portion of I-95 complete; next phase of reconstruction begins
EDDYSTONE, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- As contractors finished the demolition of the damaged portion of Interstate 95, one expert believes the next step could be completed in a matter of weeks, and possibly open to traffic in July.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro tweeted on Thursday evening the demolition portion of reconstruction had ended, days ahead of schedule.
Crews are now readying to build a temporary roadway.
"Considering the technology, it's not unreasonable to get it basically done with this project in three weeks," said Dr. Mehdi Khanzadeh Moradlo, an assistant professor of engineering at Temple University.
The first trucks left Aero Aggregates in Eddystone, Delaware County to Philadelphia around 7:30 a.m. Thursday with a Pennsylvania State Police escort.
The trucks made their way to the site of the I-95 collapse carrying material needed for the highway's temporary fix.
"We're looking at doing this 24/7. Today we'll just be getting them set up for tomorrow," said CEO Archie Filshill.
Action News asked the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation Mike Carroll about the timeframe, but he declined to offer specifics.
WATCH LIVE: Camera provides live look as crews work to repair the collapsed portion of I-95
"I'm not going to get into three weeks, or three months. We are working as speedily as we can to do it safely and efficiently. There is no way to predict equipment failure," said Carroll.
He also said other factors, such as weather, can affect any timeframe. No government official has given a specific timeframe for opening the temporary lanes.
Filshill explained the material is foam glass aggregate that will build up the ground to the surface level of I-95.
It's estimated that between 15,000 to 20,000 cubic yards are needed. Each truck carries roughly 90 cubic yards, so it could take about 200 truckloads to complete.
SEE ALSO: Delaware County company providing special fill for I-95
Once paving is complete, three northbound and three southbound lanes on I-95 will reopen to traffic, as crews work on the outside on a permanent bridge. Then construction will switch to complete the inner lane.
The fill is made from glass diverted from local landfills. It is light and durable, which is crucial because it needs to support 160,000 vehicles a day, but also needs to be lightweight to prevent the road from sinking.
"Because we are ultra-light weight, we can put 100 cubic yards in a truck; it's the equivalent of seven dump trucks of regular weight fill," said Filshill.
The material is being stockpiled at the site, with construction in the embankment set to begin on Friday morning.
Trucks will continue to shuttle back and forth.
"These trucks are called 'walking floor trucks' so they don't tilt up to drop the material. They open the door- they have an articulating floor that moves, and the material will walk itself out," Filshill explained.
Filshill hopes to have all the material at the site on 95 by the beginning of next week.
