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I-95 closure in Philadelphia near Penn’s Landing: Everything you need to know

All four lanes of I-95 North near Penn's Landing will be closed from Saturday night through Monday morning.

I-95 North through Center City Philadelphia will close this weekend from Exits 20 to 22 while construction continues on the Penn's Landing park project.
I-95 North through Center City Philadelphia will close this weekend from Exits 20 to 22 while construction continues on the Penn's Landing park project.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
    by Rob Tornoe
    Updated 
    Published 

If you’re driving through Philadelphia this weekend, plan to avoid I-95 near Penn’s Landing.

All four lanes on northbound I-95 in Center City between the exits for Christopher Columbus Boulevard (Exit 20) and I-676 (Exit 22) will be closed all day Sunday as part of work being done on a capping project for a new park at Penn’s Landing.

“Motorists are advised to avoid the closure area because significant backups will occur on I-95 approaching the work area, and on Columbus Boulevard and surface streets in the vicinity of the work area,” said PennDot spokesperson Brad Rudolph.

I-95 South will remain open to traffic throughout the weekend.

Here’s everything you need to know about part of I-95 being closed in Philly this weekend:

How long will I-95 be closed in Philly?

Here is a timeline for the lane closures on I-95 near Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia:

  1. Saturday, Feb. 3, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m: One lane will be closed on I-95 North between Columbus Boulevard (Exit 20) and I-676 (Exit 22).

  2. Saturday, Feb 3., at 6 p.m. to Monday, Feb. 5, at 5 a.m.: All lanes of I-95 North will be closed from Exit 20 to Exit 22.

Several ramps will also be closed, including:

  1. Ramp to northbound I-95/I-676 from just north of Washington Avenue at Columbus Boulevard

  2. Ramp to northbound I-95 from Lombard Circle at Columbus Boulevard

  3. Ramp to northbound I-95 from westbound I-76 from New Jersey/Walt Whitman Bridge

  4. Ramp to northbound I-95 from Front Street

Map of I-95 closure in Philly

All four lanes on northbound I-95 between Christopher Columbus Boulevard and I-676 will be closed until 5 a.m. Monday.

Suggested detours around I-95 in Philly

Here are suggested detour routes from PennDot to avoid the construction area:

  1. I-95 North from Delaware to New York: Your best bet is to just avoid Philly entirely. Take Exit 27 in Wilmington for I-295 North across the Delaware Memorial Bridge and hop on the New Jersey Turnpike. I-95 will merge back with the Turnpike at Exit 6.

  2. I-95 North from Delaware to northern Philly: Take the Delaware Memorial Bridge to I-295 North. Hop on I-676 West toward Camden and take the Ben Franklin Bridge to I-95 North.

  3. I-95 North in Chester County to New York: Take I-476 North to I-276 North and merge with I-95 North just before the Delaware River-Turnpike Toll Bridge.

  4. I-95 North in Chester County to northern Philly: Take the George Platt Bridge and hop on I-76 West to I-676 North, which will merge with I-95 North.

  5. I-76 West from New Jersey: Stay on I-76 after crossing the Walt Whitman Bridge and take it all the way to I-676 East to access I-95 North.

If you need to get on I-95 North from the city, access will be available at the ramp from Summer Street at Columbus just north of the Ben Franklin Bridge. Drivers can also take Columbus Boulevard north to the Girard Avenue/Aramingo interchange.

If you’re trying to get on I-676 East, PennDot suggests taking Columbus Boulevard to Spring Garden Street to Sixth Street to access the highway. For access to I-676 West, take Spring Garden Street to Eighth Street. You can also take Columbus Boulevard and hop on I-95 South at Exit 23, which will then have access to I-676 West.

PennDot has an I-95 CAP Closure Detours page with real-time travel times and traffic cameras for alternate routes around I-95 North.

When will I-95 in Philly reopen?

I-95 North will fully reopen in Philly on Monday at 5 a.m., according to PennDot.

Why is I-95 closed?

The closure is part of a $329 million project to create a nearly 12-acre park at Penn’s Landing over I-95. The weekend work will focus on the partial demolition of the existing concrete covering over I-95 between Chestnut and Walnut Streets, according to PennDot.

The park project is expected to be completed in the next four to six years. Once finished, the Park at Penn’s Landing will cover about four acres over I-95 between Chestnut and Walnut. Seven more acres will slope down to the waterfront from Columbus Boulevard, with planned amenities including gardens, a cafe, a large pavilion, and an amphitheater.

Will there be more closures on I-95?

This is the first of four planned closures. One more is planned for I-95 North, and two are planned for I-95 South. No other dates have been announced, but PennDot said they would occur on weekends over the next few months.

Rudolph said the closures would accelerate the demolition time and limit the need for smaller closures and detours during the week.

“Each time we’re doing this, we’re shaving off some everyday kind of work. And I think that’s beneficial,” Rudolph told reporters last month.