March 30, 2025 – Construction of the new southbound viaduct and several long retaining walls (see below) at the Interstate 95 Bridge Street Interchange is progressing this spring under PennDOT’s $268 million I-95/BS2 project to reconstruct and widen I-95 in both directions between Margaret Street and Carver Street in Northeast Philadelphia.
With the viaduct’s numerous girders in place (see below), crews will complete setting deck pans and rebars and begin placing the structure’s concrete deck this spring. The new viaduct passes over Bridge, Tacony, and several other surface streets before connecting with new at-grade paving at the southern end of the job.
Four retaining walls remain under construction along the southbound side north of the viaduct and one south of the viaduct. The walls will help support embankments that will carry a continuous fourth lane through the interchange, along with a new off-ramp at James Street.
As the retaining walls are completed, PennDOT’s contractor will begin installing the new stormwater drainage systems before beginning construction of sections of the new southbound pavement and the new southbound off-ramp later this year.
The new ramp will replace the southbound ramp to James Street, which was closed last summer. It will pass under I-95 between Fraley and Van Kirk streets through a new underpass to a new signalized interchange on Tacony Street north of Bridge Street.
The southbound side of the new ramp underpass remains under construction as part of southbound reconstruction and widening.
During construction, traffic previously exiting southbound I-95 at Bridge Street is detoured to the Aramingo Avenue exit at the Betsy Ross Bridge Interchange, then north on Aramingo Avenue back to Bridge Street.
Utility work on surrounding surface streets by several subcontractors also continues, including installation of a water main under Tacony Street and electrical services along Aramingo Avenue and at the extension of Delaware Avenue.
During this stage of reconstruction:
Additional work under Section BS2 includes constructing a new on-ramp to I-95 north at the Tacony Street Interchange and construction of a section of the Delaware Avenue Extension. Utility installations are currently underway for the Delaware Avenue Extension, and road construction is anticipated to start this spring.
Section BS2, the second of five contracts to reconstruct Interstate 95 and improve the Bridge Street Interchange, is expected to be completed in 2027. PennDOT completed Section BS1 reconstruction to rebuild and widen I-95 between Levick and Carver streets in early 2023.
During all upcoming Section BS2 work, three travel lanes in each direction will remain open during peak travel times, though periodic off-peak lane closures may be in place on I-95 during certain stages of construction.
James J. Anderson Construction of Philadelphia is the general contractor on Section BS2.
