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Vine Street Expressway, SEPTA Regional Rail shut down because of unsecured barge

Video showed a loose barge appearing to make contact with the Vine Street Expressway bridge.

Barge hits I-676 ramp to I-76 in Center City Philadelphia, closing road to traffic during morning commute. Remains of heavy rain from Tropical Storm Isaias that passed over Philadelphia on Tuesday left its damage on Wednesday morning August 5, 2020.
Barge hits I-676 ramp to I-76 in Center City Philadelphia, closing road to traffic during morning commute. Remains of heavy rain from Tropical Storm Isaias that passed over Philadelphia on Tuesday left its damage on Wednesday morning August 5, 2020.Read moreALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Staff Photographer
    by Robert Moran
    Updated 
    Published 

» Live updates: Some SEPTA Regional Rail lines have resumed service.

All SEPTA regional rail lines were still suspended and the Vine Street Expressway remained closed early Wednesday morning due to an unsecured barge on the flooded Schuylkill.

A spokesperson for the transportation authority said he did not know when train service would resume.

“We kind of have to wait until the river goes back to a normal level,” said John Golden, public information manager. “It’s a wait-and-see situation.”

The river was at flood stage as of 6 a.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Stage, but was expected to decline throughout the morning.

SEPTA was set to meet with city officials to discuss the predicament Wednesday morning, Golden said.

“The barge is currently located near the Vine Street Expressway bridge, which is upstream from a SEPTA rail bridge at 30th Street. Out of an abundance of caution, SEPTA is suspending Regional Rail service until the barge is secured or passes the rail bridge,” SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch had said Tuesday night.

“SEPTA has bridge inspectors and other personnel at the scene to work on reopening the bridge once the situation with the barge is resolved,” Busch said in a statement.

A person on Twitter posted a video showing a barge appearing to make contact with the bridge because of the high water.