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  • I-95 Collapse & Trenton Line

  • Discussion relating to Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (Philadelphia Metro Area). Official web site can be found here: www.septa.com. Also including discussion related to the PATCO Speedline rapid transit operated by Delaware River Port Authority. Official web site can be found here: http://www.ridepatco.org/.
It is currently Sat Apr 27, 2024 8:16 am

I-95 Collapse & Trenton Line

Discussion relating to Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (Philadelphia Metro Area). Official web site can be found here: www.septa.com. Also including discussion related to the PATCO Speedline rapid transit operated by Delaware River Port Authority. Official web site can be found here: http://www.ridepatco.org/.

Moderator: AlexC

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I-95 Collapse & Trenton Line

 #1623756  by AlexC
 
It's too early for any SEPTA details to be announced but please put any information you find into this thread.

When I was a commuting student at Drexel, there was a tire fire under I-95 in Port Richmond that closed the highway for weeks. I remember SEPTA added more cars to trains (and probably ran them more often) to handle the commuters.
With lowered ridership and remote working, it may not be as huge an effort these days. I don't know.

Re: I-95 Collapse & Trenton Line

 #1623776  by ChesterValley
 
I heard on KYW that a SEPTA rep stated that they are adding extra cars to the existing trains, there are no plans to add any additional service. I can't find anything that's not road related, every supplied detour is it's own flavor of..lets call it bad. I-476 the Blue Route and especially the Roosevelt Boulevard I have doubts about handling the possible traffic. We will see how long that stands, I think Monday won't that bad but Tuesday and especially Thursday will prove how long that will stay.

It also depends on how much people will work from home which may mitigate it, but this will not be fixed for weeks if not months even with emergency construction

I'm not sure how this could potentially also impact Amtrak ridership along the line, there are a lot of unknowns.

Re: I-95 Collapse & Trenton Line

 #1623778  by MACTRAXX
 
AC and Everyone: This collapse occured at an exit ramp from I-95 north to Cottman Avenue (PA 73) west. The bridge half carrying the four northbound I-95 lanes collapsed - the southbound bridge half is intact but supposedly compromised structurally from the heat of the tanker truck fire.

This is a major Philadelphia news story at this point - see:
https://yahoo.com/news/burning-truck-ca ... 53394.html
https://nytimes.com/2023/06/11/us/phila ... -fire.html
https://6abc.com/interstate-95-collapse ... /13368736/

The NEC/Trenton Line is west of State Road (I-95 is situated east) - train service should not be affected... Expect extra Trenton Line service to be implemented by SEPTA RRD - Cornwells Heights, Torresdale and Holmesburg Junction (in that order) may experience added ridership numbers in the days ahead...

AC: March 13, 1996 was the date of the I-95 tire fire - which was in the vicinity of Port Richmond or Kensington NE of Center City - closing the roadway for a period of some months then...

Expect long term traffic problems in this area of Northeast Philadelphia until the bridges are removed and/or replaced at least with temporary spans with any restoration...MACTRAXX

Re: I-95 Collapse & Trenton Line

 #1623780  by ChesterValley
 
https://pacast.com/m?p=23248 There's a link to the press conference. RRD part starts at about 9:43

Looks like the big plan is bustituting the Cynwyd line and reassigning personnel/equipment to Trenton, West Trenton and Fox Chase lines and "adjustments" from there.

Re: I-95 Collapse & Trenton Line

 #1623799  by west point
 
It will be an ongoing scheduling operation to meet the demand that may change day to day. Hopefully enough spare equipment and personell both operating and in stations.

BTW this site will not keep me logged in. leave site and return 5 minutes later logged off. Sorry other news thread would not let me post.
Last edited by west point on Mon Jun 12, 2023 11:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

Re: I-95 Collapse & Trenton Line

 #1623812  by hrsn
 
Something similar happened in CT in 2004--tanker truck fire on I95 buckled an overpass and the road had to be closed. (Actually worse than the Phila. situation because there is no viable alternative around the problem like the NJT for through traffic. So, a temporary span was put in place within a few days.

https://www.constructionequipmentguide. ... -days/4416

Re: I-95 Collapse & Trenton Line

 #1623936  by ChesterValley
 
Here's the report from SETPA:

https://www.inquirer.com/news/live/i95- ... 1078855752
Fox Chase carried 961 people, up 4% from June 5, when 922 rode.

Trenton carried 2,342 passengers Monday, up 13% from June 5.

West Trenton ridership was up 14%, from 1,648 June 5 to 1,879 Monday.
Looking at traffic in the region, the Northeast gets jammed up from people following gps apps trying to take short cuts causing gridlock, but traffic wise it looks like people are primarily taking the NJ Turnpike going north south or 476-276-95, and for alternates people are taking the boulevard or 130 across the river. If anything it almost seems like traffic is somewhat better in the region minus the Northeast.

I really hope SEPTA starts running more express trains and adds trains across the network, or uses the federal funds to restore service to Cynwyd. I am still interested in seeing if SEPTA adds trains on the weekend for the Trenton line

Re: I-95 Collapse & Trenton Line

 #1623947  by MACTRAXX
 
CV and Everyone:
The initial "shock" of the closure of I-95 through Northeast Philadelphia is occurring this week with drivers figuring out what their new alternate routes are going to be...The fallen bridge section has been completely removed along with the remains of the tank truck - the body of the truck driver was found in the wreckage. The damaged southbound lane overpass is currently undergoing demolition by drilling out the roadway concrete allowing the steel beams and understructure to be removed outright.

What I think happened is the driver lost control of the tank truck and slammed into the wall trying to make the exit underpass curve onto westbound Cottman Avenue taking note to the heavy scorch marks noted on the north wall and the way the northbound lane overpass collapsed towards that north wall area.

SEPTA Regional Rail has responded with adding service to the Trenton Line on weekdays which is a good start - I agree that closing the two hour gaps on weekends should be another addition with added demand along with additional West Trenton Line service (the northern segment between Somerton and WT) for the most affected areas which are far Northeast Philadelphia and Lower Bucks County. Mentioning other alternatives such as free RRD parking at all stations along with the garage at Frankford Terminal for MFSE service will be added incentives to increase SEPTA ridership over these Summer 2023 months...

Cornwells Heights ridership and parking lot use will be interesting to notice with added Trenton Line service along with getting a general idea how many of the 1600 parking spaces available are taken... Good road access from paralleling I-95 and Woodhaven Road (PA 63) west should be noted...

SEPTA has a chance to prove how worthy public transit is in this time of traffic crisis...MACTRAXX

Re: I-95 Collapse & Trenton Line

 #1623967  by rcthompson04
 
Looks like an adjustment to the push pull setup… a third Paoli Thorndale Line evening train (9595) is now running with a 4 car push pull set. Haven’t seen a 4 car push pull set in use since the all day push pull experiment. Interesting to see if this is a thing in the morning too.

Re: I-95 Collapse & Trenton Line

 #1623968  by west point
 
It appears Penn DOT will close the accident ramp, fill in that area and make a temporary roadway over that exit ramp. Then it will take one lane at a time and build a new bridge. Once all the bridges finished excavate the fill .
That will reopen the exit ramp.

Re: I-95 Collapse & Trenton Line

 #1623987  by STrRedWolf
 
https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/14/us/phila ... index.html

National news saying they will fill in the gap to make a temporary 6-lane highway to allow traffic on I-95 to flow while they are rebuilding the bridge.

https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/lo ... 5/3585523/

A local company that recycles glass into nuggets suitable for fill has been selected to supply the material to fill in the gap. The material has been approved for roadworks for several years now.

Re: I-95 Collapse & Trenton Line

 #1624444  by ChesterValley
 
Tomorrow the Governor has announced that they are reopening I-95 at 12 pm tomorrow. As stated earlier in the thread the plan is to temporarily fill the hole, then build a bridge around the the fill, then dig out the fill, the build the rest of the bridge.

The actual fix will still take months, but 6 lanes of traffic will start flowing. In response, Septa is reducing service by three trains but still retaining two extra trains on the Trenton line and reactivating Cynwyd

https://www5.septa.org/bulletins/until- ... -collapse/

Time will tell if SEPTA maintains this, along with Comcast announcing mandatory 4 days RTO in the fall but that will have to be handled in another thread
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