PennDOT - District 6 News
Eastbound Interstate 676 Reopened in Philadelphia Following Barge Removal at Bridge over Schuylkill River
King of Prussia, PA – Eastbound Interstate 676 reopened this afternoon in Center City Philadelphia following the relocation of three barges that were lodged on the north side of the interstate bridge over the Schuylkill River, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today. Westbound I-676 and the associated ramps will reopen shortly.
As a safety precaution, PennDOT closed I-676 in both directions and the associated ramps between the Broad Street (Route 611) and Interstate 76 interchanges on Tuesday afternoon (August 4), after three barges were displaced from its moorings on the Schuylkill River near the Art Museum.
The barges were being used by the Army Corps of Engineers and its contractor to dredge portions of the waterway above the Fairmount Dam. During Tropical Storm Isaias, the barges were pushed downstream and rested against and under the I-676 Bridge.
PennDOT inspected the structure on Wednesday (August 5) using a bridge crane with an articulating boom that curled under the deck to enable engineers to examine the bearings, the bridge beam that came in contact with the barge, and all connections to make sure the bridge was structurally sound.
Despite no serious damage to the bridge, PennDOT kept I-676 and the associated ramps closed until the water receded and the Army Corps of Engineers and its contractor safely towed the barges upstream to their original location.
Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles by visiting www.511PA.com or downloading the 511PA application for iPhone and Android devices. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.
Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAPhilly and like the department on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/phillypenndot and Instagram at www.instagram.com/pennsylvaniadot.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brad Rudolph, 610-205-6800
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