What to Know
- Drivers will be forced off the eastbound Schuylkill Expressway in Philadelphia this weekend as crews replace part of the roadway.
- The closure of Interstate 76 from 30th Street to South Street goes from 11 p.m. Friday and through 5 a.m. Monday
- PennDOT is urging drivers to make plans to take alternate routes.
Heading to the Phillies game or Philly Music Fest, trying to catch a train or a flight, or just going downtown this weekend? A stretch of the Schuylkill Expressway, one of the busiest roads in Philadelphia, will be closed for a construction project. So plan on seeking an alternate route or sitting in some extra traffic.
PennDOT plans to close eastbound Interstate 76 from 30th Street to South Street Friday night through Monday morning so that crews can redeck the surface of the roadway, which is a viaduct at that point.
The closure is similar to the one in place a couple of weeks back.
With plenty going on this weekend, NBC10 wants to make sure you are prepared for the closure.
We answer your questions below:
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When Does the Schuylkill Expressway Close?
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation plans to close the approximately 4,000-foot stretch of I-76 eastbound at 11 p.m. Friday. Crews will then work around the clock until reopening the expressway by 5 a.m. Monday. The work only affects eastbound drivers.
Prior to the complete closure, the eastbound direction will be reduced to one lane starting at 9 p.m. Friday.
PennDOT spokesman Brad Rudolph said they don’t want any construction closures to bleed into the Monday morning rush.
What Part of I-76 Will Be Detoured This Weekend?
The stretch of roadway from the 30th Street to South Street exits.
What Will Crews Be Doing to the I-76 Viaduct?
The construction project of replacing the viaduct, which was first built in 1960, is a daunting one as crews are in the process of fixing 289 spans.
You might not have noticed on a recent drive, but some of the spans have already been redone.
The work being done this weekend by hand and machinery includes peeling back the viaduct decking and cutting through rebar to strip spans all the way down.
“They are basically taking it all the way down to the original deck,” Rudolph said.
Once the deck is stripped, crews will lay down a quick-drying Polyester Polymer Concrete. The synthetic concrete, which can only be applied under dry conditions, allows “the viaduct’s surface to be rehabilitated while minimizing the need for long-term lane closures that are required for curing conventional concrete pavement,” PennDOT said.
The number of spans replaced this weekend is dependent on the condition of each section. Getting down the original deck sometimes takes longer as “we don’t know what we are going to uncover,” Rudolph added.
How Many Vehicles Use I-76 in Philly?
About 130,00 vehicles speed (or inch along due to the heavy traffic) over the stretch of I-76 daily, PennDOT said. Those drivers will need to find a different route this weekend.
How Do I Detour Around the Weekend Schuylkill Expressway Closure?
The detours utilize surface roads through University City or other interstates.
Through drivers coming into Philly from the northwestern suburbs can get off I-76 eastbound at the Vine Street Expressway (interstate 676). You can then continue eastbound on I-676 to Interstate 95 south. You can then pick back up I-76 near the Walt Whitman Bridge or continue toward the stadium complex.
For people looking to get back on I-76 at University, you can exit at 30th Street then follow the road around the station. Drivers can then turn right on Market Street, left on 38th Street and straight on University Avenue to 34th Street to access the ramp to eastbound I-76.
Detours signs and digital boards will be posted, PennDOT said.
Is There Any Detour Trick I Can Use?
Yes there's a hack for you shortcut-seeking drivers. You can get back onto I-76 from the South Street Bridge, which is accessible from Spruce and 34th streets in University City and 27th and South streets from Center City.
How Do I Avoid the I-76 Closure in Philadelphia Entirely?
“If people know it is closed they take alternate routes and mitigate the backups,” Rudolph said.
The Kelly Drive on the other side of the Schuylkill River can be used to get into Center City ahead of the closure, but it could back up.
Martin Luther King Drive, which runs parallel to I-76 leading up to the closure is scheduled to be closed for recreational activity from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, so don’t plan on using that to get into town unless it's at night.
The best bet is to avoid driving into town at all by taking SEPTA Regional Rail.
Which I-76 Ramps Will Be Closed? (And, a Major Snag for Drivers on the Vine Street Expressway.)
Driver won’t be able to access eastbound I-76 from the Walnut Street ramp this weekend. Drivers will be forced up to 38th Street to then access I-76 eastbound at University Avenue. Or, can get to the South Street Bridge.
The westbound I-676 ramp to eastbound I-76 will also be closed. Drivers wanting to go east on I-76 who don’t get off I-676 by the 22nd Street Exit will be forced onto I-76 westbound to turn around all the way up at Montgomery Drive to then get onto I-76 east toward the closure and detours. Drivers can still access the 30th Street Station part of the ramp through the closure.
The best bet for drivers wanting to use the I-76 east ramp from I-676 is to get off at Broad Street or 22nd Street and take surface roads. But, avoid the Benjamin Franklin Parkway area during Sunday's Puerto Rican Day Parade.
Will I-76 Be Entirely Closed Anymore Weekends This Year?
Yes, this is all part of a $39.8-million project to revamp three separate viaducts on the busy Schuylkill Expressway.
Crews have begun on the eastbound lanes, already closing the roadway three separate weekends this summer. Rudolph said more weekendlong closures are on the horizon before the end of the year.
Depending on delays, it’s possible the eastbound closures push into 2020, Rudolph said.
The plan is to begin a similar redecking process on the westbound lanes of I-76 in Philadelphia in 2020.
What Could Delay the Viaduct Repair Project?
Mostly weather as crews need dry conditions to utilize the quick-drying synthetic concrete.
