I-95 collapse detour is detoured as pole falls on driver

Avoid Interstate 95 southbound in Northeast Philadelphia Friday morning if you can.

Drivers already detoured off the busy highway at Cottman Avenue due to last weekend's collapse are being detoured again due to a crash where a utility pole apparently came down shortly before 530 a.m.

NBC10's Randy Gyllenhaal reports after a Friday morning crash involving a utility pole led to a detour to the road already being used to detour drivers around the I-95 collapse.

The closure of State Road forced drivers already forced off I-95 southbound onto Tacony neighborhood streets.

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AVOID I-95 if you can -- the detour is now detoured due to a crash on State Rd. Traffic going up Cottman to Torresdale. Tight neighborhood streets are dealing with gridlock. @RandyGyllenhaal

Use 295, Rt-130, PA Turpike to 76, Roosevelt Blvd instead. @NBCPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/vu6LEMx3AN
— Sheila Watko (@SheilaWatko) June 16, 2023

The pole along State Road apparently crashed down onto the car, police on the scene told NBC10's Randy Gyllenhaal.

Police tell me the pole actually fell into the car — appears to have just collapsed onto the unsuspecting driver @NBCPhiladelphia

It’s led to major backup of the detour route

Photo courtesy @TimJRadio who is at the scene pic.twitter.com/IGgBbWdI9t
— Randy Gyllenhaal (@RandyGyllenhaal) June 16, 2023

Tim Jimenez, of NBC10 newsgathering partner KYW Newsradio, said that apparently a truck clipped the wires and caused the pole to fall onto the car. Jimenez later learned that a 3-year-old, his mother and two other adults were in the car and thankful they weren't hurt.

A woman who was in the car with her 3-year-old son and two other adults says they’re very grateful they weren’t hurt at all. @KYWNewsradio pic.twitter.com/mWYioYTytL
— Tim Jimenez (@TimJRadio) June 16, 2023

By 6:30 a.m., cars were being allowed along State Road again, however, trucks and larger vehicles were not.

Léelo en español aquí.

Want to just avoid it all?

NBC10 First Alert Traffic reporter Sheila Watko suggested southbound drivers avoid Northeast Philadelphia entirely. You can head over the Burlington-Bristol Bridge into New Jersey and then head back onto I-95 by crossing one of the Delaware River bridges south of the collapse site.

I-95 collapse Jun 15, 2023

Crews complete demolition of I-95 collapse site and begin rebuilding phase

I-95 collapse Jun 14, 2023

I-95 reconstruction plan: Backfill to close the gap until permanent solution built

Don't want to pay a bridge toll? The Pennsylvania Turnpike can be used to access the Schuylkill Expressway or Roosevelt Blvd as alternates. Or you can just start your drive on U.S. Route 1.