Repairing I-95: The Challenge Ahead
History shows differing lengths of time in bridge reparation
June 12, 2023
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History shows differing lengths of time in bridge reparation
The collapse of a section of both the northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia brings back memories of other bridge failures around the United States.
Initial reports indicate the repairing the venerable roadway could take “months.”
How quickly these bridges were repaired will be the benchmark that commuters in the tri-state area and elsewhere will measure success in the restoration of traffic on I-95.
I-85 (Atlanta, 2017)
On March 30, 2017, one of the most important roadways on the East Coast – Interstate 85 around Atlanta – was in flames and the heat generated caused a section of the road to collapse. After the fire was extinguished, it was determined that 700 feet of both the northbound and southbound lanes required demolition and reconstruction, resulting in the closure of a critical stretch of highway which normally carries 243,000 vehicles per day.
As a vital part of the overall regional transportation system, the governor created a $3.1 million incentives program. Originally, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) announced a reopening of the highway by June 15.
However, with the encouragement of the governor, GDOT approached the contractor and offered a $1.5 million bonus for opening the road by May 25, a $2 million bonus for opening by May 21, and an additional $200,000 for each day it’s open before May 21, up to a max of $3.1 million. The incentive program allowed the contractor to deploy teams 24 hours a day resulting in a reopening of the roadway by May 12, more than a month ahead of schedule. This accelerated timeline (44 days) was estimated to have saved Georgia travelers $27 million in lost time and productivity.
I-35 (Minneapolis, 2007)
On August 1, 2007, the Interstate 35 bridge westbound over the Mississippi River collapsed during rush hour, killing 13 people and injuring another 145. One of Minnesota’s busiest, the bridge carried more than 140,000 cars over the River daily.
To ensure that the project would likely be completed in 2008, Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) offered incentives to complete the project on time. If the job was completed on time and the contractor waived all outstanding claims, a $7 million incentive would be paid to the contractor. The contract also allows early completion incentives up to an additional $20 million if the project is completed 100 days early. This incentive value is calculated based on half of the roadway user cost impacts to the project.
The contractor began work about 10 weeks after the collapse and the I-35W bridge was rebuilt in 337 days or within 14 months.
The original estimate for costs totaled $250 million but soared to more than $400M.
MacArthur Maze (Oakland, 2007)
A gasoline-carrying tanker truck crashed and exploded in the predawn hours of April 29, 2007 while driving along the “MacArthur Maze,” a large freeway exchange that connects Interstates 580, 880, and 80 in Oakland. The heat from the fire buckled a section of the raised I-580, which then collapsed onto I-880 below, according to a report in The New York Times.
I-880 suffered little structural damage and was back up eight days later, according to SF Gate. I-580 was rebuilt and back in place on May 24, a total of 26 days later and well below the 50-day expected deadline. The construction contractor was paid about $6 million for the job.
The collapse of a section of both the northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia brings back memories of other bridge failures around the United States.
Initial reports indicate the repairing the venerable roadway could take “months.”
How quickly these bridges were repaired will be the benchmark that commuters in the tri-state area and elsewhere will measure success in the restoration of traffic on I-95.
I-85 (Atlanta, 2017)
On March 30, 2017, one of the most important roadways on the East Coast – Interstate 85 around Atlanta – was in flames and the heat generated caused a section of the road to collapse. After the fire was extinguished, it was determined that 700 feet of both the northbound and southbound lanes required demolition and reconstruction, resulting in the closure of a critical stretch of highway which normally carries 243,000 vehicles per day.
As a vital part of the overall regional transportation system, the governor created a $3.1 million incentives program. Originally, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) announced a reopening of the highway by June 15.
However, with the encouragement of the governor, GDOT approached the contractor and offered a $1.5 million bonus for opening the road by May 25, a $2 million bonus for opening by May 21, and an additional $200,000 for each day it’s open before May 21, up to a max of $3.1 million. The incentive program allowed the contractor to deploy teams 24 hours a day resulting in a reopening of the roadway by May 12, more than a month ahead of schedule. This accelerated timeline (44 days) was estimated to have saved Georgia travelers $27 million in lost time and productivity.
I-35 (Minneapolis, 2007)
On August 1, 2007, the Interstate 35 bridge westbound over the Mississippi River collapsed during rush hour, killing 13 people and injuring another 145. One of Minnesota’s busiest, the bridge carried more than 140,000 cars over the River daily.
To ensure that the project would likely be completed in 2008, Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) offered incentives to complete the project on time. If the job was completed on time and the contractor waived all outstanding claims, a $7 million incentive would be paid to the contractor. The contract also allows early completion incentives up to an additional $20 million if the project is completed 100 days early. This incentive value is calculated based on half of the roadway user cost impacts to the project.
The contractor began work about 10 weeks after the collapse and the I-35W bridge was rebuilt in 337 days or within 14 months.
The original estimate for costs totaled $250 million but soared to more than $400M.
MacArthur Maze (Oakland, 2007)
A gasoline-carrying tanker truck crashed and exploded in the predawn hours of April 29, 2007 while driving along the “MacArthur Maze,” a large freeway exchange that connects Interstates 580, 880, and 80 in Oakland. The heat from the fire buckled a section of the raised I-580, which then collapsed onto I-880 below, according to a report in The New York Times.
I-880 suffered little structural damage and was back up eight days later, according to SF Gate. I-580 was rebuilt and back in place on May 24, a total of 26 days later and well below the 50-day expected deadline. The construction contractor was paid about $6 million for the job.
The collapse of a section of both the northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia brings back memories of other bridge failures around the United States.
Initial reports indicate the repairing the venerable roadway could take “months.”
How quickly these bridges were repaired will be the benchmark that commuters in the tri-state area and elsewhere will measure success in the restoration of traffic on I-95.
I-85 (Atlanta, 2017)
On March 30, 2017, one of the most important roadways on the East Coast – Interstate 85 around Atlanta – was in flames and the heat generated caused a section of the road to collapse. After the fire was extinguished, it was determined that 700 feet of both the northbound and southbound lanes required demolition and reconstruction, resulting in the closure of a critical stretch of highway which normally carries 243,000 vehicles per day.
As a vital part of the overall regional transportation system, the governor created a $3.1 million incentives program. Originally, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) announced a reopening of the highway by June 15.
However, with the encouragement of the governor, GDOT approached the contractor and offered a $1.5 million bonus for opening the road by May 25, a $2 million bonus for opening by May 21, and an additional $200,000 for each day it’s open before May 21, up to a max of $3.1 million. The incentive program allowed the contractor to deploy teams 24 hours a day resulting in a reopening of the roadway by May 12, more than a month ahead of schedule. This accelerated timeline (44 days) was estimated to have saved Georgia travelers $27 million in lost time and productivity.
I-35 (Minneapolis, 2007)
On August 1, 2007, the Interstate 35 bridge westbound over the Mississippi River collapsed during rush hour, killing 13 people and injuring another 145. One of Minnesota’s busiest, the bridge carried more than 140,000 cars over the River daily.
To ensure that the project would likely be completed in 2008, Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) offered incentives to complete the project on time. If the job was completed on time and the contractor waived all outstanding claims, a $7 million incentive would be paid to the contractor. The contract also allows early completion incentives up to an additional $20 million if the project is completed 100 days early. This incentive value is calculated based on half of the roadway user cost impacts to the project.
The contractor began work about 10 weeks after the collapse and the I-35W bridge was rebuilt in 337 days or within 14 months.
The original estimate for costs totaled $250 million but soared to more than $400M.
MacArthur Maze (Oakland, 2007)
A gasoline-carrying tanker truck crashed and exploded in the predawn hours of April 29, 2007 while driving along the “MacArthur Maze,” a large freeway exchange that connects Interstates 580, 880, and 80 in Oakland. The heat from the fire buckled a section of the raised I-580, which then collapsed onto I-880 below, according to a report in The New York Times.
I-880 suffered little structural damage and was back up eight days later, according to SF Gate. I-580 was rebuilt and back in place on May 24, a total of 26 days later and well below the 50-day expected deadline. The construction contractor was paid about $6 million for the job.
The collapse of a section of both the northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia brings back memories of other bridge failures around the United States.
Initial reports indicate the repairing the venerable roadway could take “months.”
How quickly these bridges were repaired will be the benchmark that commuters in the tri-state area and elsewhere will measure success in the restoration of traffic on I-95.
I-85 (Atlanta, 2017)
On March 30, 2017, one of the most important roadways on the East Coast – Interstate 85 around Atlanta – was in flames and the heat generated caused a section of the road to collapse. After the fire was extinguished, it was determined that 700 feet of both the northbound and southbound lanes required demolition and reconstruction, resulting in the closure of a critical stretch of highway which normally carries 243,000 vehicles per day.
As a vital part of the overall regional transportation system, the governor created a $3.1 million incentives program. Originally, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) announced a reopening of the highway by June 15.
However, with the encouragement of the governor, GDOT approached the contractor and offered a $1.5 million bonus for opening the road by May 25, a $2 million bonus for opening by May 21, and an additional $200,000 for each day it’s open before May 21, up to a max of $3.1 million. The incentive program allowed the contractor to deploy teams 24 hours a day resulting in a reopening of the roadway by May 12, more than a month ahead of schedule. This accelerated timeline (44 days) was estimated to have saved Georgia travelers $27 million in lost time and productivity.
I-35 (Minneapolis, 2007)
On August 1, 2007, the Interstate 35 bridge westbound over the Mississippi River collapsed during rush hour, killing 13 people and injuring another 145. One of Minnesota’s busiest, the bridge carried more than 140,000 cars over the River daily.
To ensure that the project would likely be completed in 2008, Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) offered incentives to complete the project on time. If the job was completed on time and the contractor waived all outstanding claims, a $7 million incentive would be paid to the contractor. The contract also allows early completion incentives up to an additional $20 million if the project is completed 100 days early. This incentive value is calculated based on half of the roadway user cost impacts to the project.
The contractor began work about 10 weeks after the collapse and the I-35W bridge was rebuilt in 337 days or within 14 months.
The original estimate for costs totaled $250 million but soared to more than $400M.
MacArthur Maze (Oakland, 2007)
A gasoline-carrying tanker truck crashed and exploded in the predawn hours of April 29, 2007 while driving along the “MacArthur Maze,” a large freeway exchange that connects Interstates 580, 880, and 80 in Oakland. The heat from the fire buckled a section of the raised I-580, which then collapsed onto I-880 below, according to a report in The New York Times.
I-880 suffered little structural damage and was back up eight days later, according to SF Gate. I-580 was rebuilt and back in place on May 24, a total of 26 days later and well below the 50-day expected deadline. The construction contractor was paid about $6 million for the job.
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