ASHE Delaware Valley (PA) Announces Special Award to Honor I-95 Emergency Project
PHILADELPHIA, PA – Only twelve days after a truck crash caused the partial collapse of I-95 over Cottman Avenue in Philadelphia, the roadway carrying 160,000 vehicles per day was reopened to traffic. This feat of engineering and construction prompted the American Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE) Delaware Valley Section to create a new Project of the Year – Special Project Award to honor the outstanding response of the project team.
Immediately following the crash on June 11, 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) selected Benesch to help with the temporary solution and the future permanent replacement. A temporary retaining wall system was backfilled with Pennsylvania-made lightweight recycled foamed glass aggregate. A temporary roadway was paved on top of the aggregate and three lanes of traffic in each direction were restored.
Because of the project team’s incredible response to the emergency situation and innovative problem solving that went into restoring the roadway, the ASHE Delaware Valley Project of the Year committee—for the first time in the organization’s history—decided to create a separate, stand-alone award. The team was recognized at the awards banquet alongside PennDOT and the contractor.
The I-95 over Cottman Avenue Emergency Repairs & Bridge Replacement has earned repeated recognition, including the highest Grand Conceptor Diamond Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies – Pennsylvania. Learn more about the project and see a full list of awards here.
