Damaged portion of I-95 congested with holiday traffic

May 25, 1998
Web posted at: 10:41 p.m. EDT (0241 GMT)

CHESTER, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- A section of Interstate 95 that was damaged by a truck explosion during the weekend became congested with holiday travelers on Monday.

The section of highway between Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware -- one of the busiest in the United States -- has only two lanes open in each direction in the wake of the explosion. Traffic was backed up about a half mile on the northbound side Monday afternoon, with motorists traveling at 20 to 30 mph.

A Pennsylvania State Police spokesman said the department was more concerned about Tuesday morning's rush hour traffic. There are plans to monitor traffic by helicopter starting at 7:30 a.m. and to use alternate routes if the situation becomes unmanageable.

SETPA, the Philadelphia mass transit authority, is adding extra cars to commuter trains during the rush hour between Wilmington and Philadelphia to help ease the traffic on I-95.

Saturday's explosion of a truck carrying 8,700 gallons of gasoline killed two people and seriously damaged a bridge carrying southbound lanes over Chester Creek. The girders that hold up the bridge are twisted and will have to be replaced, along with the deck on the bridge, a process that could take months.

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