HARRISBURG, Penn. — During a recent ceremony, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro presented a group of employees from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) with Governor’s Awards for Excellence in recognition of their response to the collapse of the bridge carrying Interstate 95 over Cottman Avenue in northeast Philadelphia on June 11, 2023.
The Associated Press reported that an elevated section of Interstate 95 collapsed after a tanker truck carrying flammable cargo caught fire, closing a heavily traveled segment of the East Coast’s main north-south highway indefinitely, according to authorities.
The northbound lanes of I-95 were gone and the southbound lanes were “compromised” by heat from the fire, said Derek Bowmer, battalion chief of the Philadelphia Fire Department.
Runoff from the fire or perhaps broken gas lines caused explosions underground, he added.
The aftermath was daunting for the entire region.
Fire closed a heavily traveled segment of the East Coast’s main north-south highway indefinitely. Newscasts warned of traffic nightmares and gave advice on detours, urging drivers to take more time to travel.
“This is really going to have a ripple effect throughout the region,” AAA spokesperson Jana Tidwell said at the time. She advised people to avoid peak travel times.
After the fire and collapse of the bridge carrying I-95 over Cottman Avenue in northeast Philadelphia in the early morning hours of June 11, 2023, the PennDOT District 6 team sprang into action. Immediately following the collapse, Governor Shapiro issued a Declaration of Disaster Emergency, which allowed the team to mobilize contractors quickly to demolish the collapsed bridge and procure materials to build a temporary roadway, including locally made recycled foam glass aggregate.
According to a PennDOT news release, the coordination between PennDOT, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the Biden Administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the City of Philadelphia and the around-the-clock work of the Philadelphia Building Trades and contractors allowed crews to demolish the damaged roadway and build a temporary one.
This allowed I-95 to reopen to traffic 12 days after the fire and collapse — well ahead of experts’ original predictions. The permanent repairs have since been completed, and the bridge was fully opened to traffic on May 24, less than a year after the collapse.
“I’m incredibly proud that PennDOT and the District 6 team have been recognized with this award for their heroic efforts in getting I-95 reopened,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “These folks worked tirelessly under difficult circumstances and have demonstrated the creativity and innovative spirit of PennDOT.”
The honorees are all based in District 6, PennDOT’s Philadelphia regional office:
- Din Abazi, District Executive
- David Adams, Senior Civil Engineer Manager
- Louis Belmonte, Transportation District Executive
- Charles Davies, Senior Assistant District Executive, Design
- Andrew Firment, Highway Administration Program Manager 2
- Daniel Gleason, Transportation Construction Manager 3
- Daniel Graham, Senior Highway Maintenance Manager
- Francis Hanney, Senior Assistant District Executive, Operations
- Krys Johnson, Transportation Community Relations Coordinator 1
- Brad Rudolph, Deputy Communications Director 2
- Harold Windisch, Senior Assistant District Executive, Construction
The release also stated that the tragedy and subsequent rebuild of I-95 were followed by people all over the world, thanks to the live 24/7 camera feed that showed the construction progress.
President Joe Biden, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and many other state and federal officials visited the site.
“The swift reopening exceeded everyone’s expectations and created a sense of community and camaraderie in the Philadelphia community,” the release stated.
The Governor’s Awards for Excellence recognize exemplary job performance or service that reflects initiative, leadership, innovation and increased efficiency. The PennDOT team was among 56 employees from 12 state agencies honored by Governor Shapiro at a ceremony for exceptional accomplishments in 2023.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
