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I-95 Emergency Reconstruction

Location Philadelphia, PA

Client Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

Services Construction Management

Project Value Confidential

Hill has been providing construction management services for the overall reconstruction of I-95 since 1999. Over the years, Hill teams have supported multiple sections of highway reconstruction throughout the Philadelphia area, as well as several emergency construction projects. Following the collapse of a section of I-95 caused by an accidental tanker truck fire beneath an overpass, PennDOT mobilized the Hill team working on the ongoing Cottman-Princeton Interchange (CPR) Project to support an emergency reconstruction project to replace the destroyed section.

The collapsed overpass comprised a section leading to I-95’s northbound Cottman exit. The fire also compromised the structure of the adjacent southbound section. The underpass beneath the collapsed section comprised part of the highway’s two-lane northbound exit, which hooked around under I-95 and continued down Cottman Avenue. The collapse took out not just a major artery for Philadelphia, but also a critical piece of infrastructure for the entire East Coast, impacting commerce on a national level.

The overpass and ramp destroyed by the fire were rebuilt several years ago under a $212 million phase of the CPR Project. Hill served as construction manager on PennDOT’s project team and helped manage work to rebuild this structure. Hill’s experience on the initial rebuild and the Hill team’s understanding of the highway’s as-built conditions were critical in helping PennDOT reopen the impacted segment of I-95 to traffic less than two weeks after the incident.

Following the collapse and rapid mobilization of the construction management team, Hill team professionals identified and distributed original plans, shop drawings, as-built documents, and other relevant documentation from the previous phase of the CPR Project to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA); the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB); PennDOT; and other responding parties. Hill also worked with PennDOT to immediately mobilize the CPR Project contractor working adjacent to the collapse, enabling a rapid demolition of the damaged overpass and facilitating investigation of the incident. Hill has maintained an on-site presence following the collapse to support the project team. This includes:

  • Coordination meetings at all times of the day.
  • Discussions with elected and agency officials.
  • Planning sessions to identify how to fully reopen I-95 as soon as safely possible.

Hill also worked with the original designers to assess the damage and collaborate on an immediate solution and the long-term repair. During the erection of the temporary structure needed to reopen I-95 to traffic, Hill monitored the contractor’s performance to help promote compliance with all Federal, State, and local regulations, as well as PennDOT’s quality standards. Hill helped establish and enforce an accelerated schedule to reopen the highway as soon as possible. In addition, the Hill team is assisting the NTSB with the ongoing investigation into the causes of the incident and continues to coordinate efforts between the emergency work on I-95 and long-term work in the area for the overall CPR Project.

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