I-95 Section CPR

Built in the 1960s, I-95 carries traffic volumes in excess of its design capacity, necessitating widening and reconstruction. The original “disjointed” interchange configuration also forces traffic to use a series of residential city streets to access I-95 NB and SB, which results in substantial congestion of the adjacent local street network. This configuration also promoted speeding, created driver confusion, and separated residential areas from the riverfront, resulting in a reduced quality of life for neighborhood residents.

The improvements to the I-95 / SR 73 interchange rehabilitated an aging interstate while providing traffic relief to the 170,000 daily users of I-95. Traffic enhancements also extend into the adjacent Tacony community, including extensive improvements to State Road and Cottman/Princeton Avenues. Extending approximately 1.5 miles between Levick Street & Bleigh Avenue, the project included I-95 mainline widening from three to four lanes, eight bridges, 16 retaining walls, and local widening of SR 73. The project also involved:

• Upgrades to three ramps: I-95 SB and NB off and I-95 NB on-ramps
• The addition of three new ramps: two I-95 SB on-ramps and an I-95 NB on-ramp spur
• Wider shoulders for improved safety
• Improved highway signing
• Nine overhead sign structures and 13 ADMS structures
• Improvements to several adjacent city streets in the Tacony neighborhood of Philadelphia, including Cottman Avenue and Princeton Avenue