An over height truck struck a rail bridge over busy I-95 in Philadelphia Monday afternoon, causing traffic problems and suspending service on NJ Transit’s Atlantic City rail line.
A section of the bridge over the northbound lanes on I-95 was struck by the oversized vehicle around 1:30 p.m. Monday near the Betsy Ross Bridge/Aramingo Avenue Interchange, PennDOT officials said. The rail bridge is owned by a freight railroad, Conrail Shared Assets.
The incident also closed the ramp from Castor Avenue to I-95 north, which will also be shut down and detoured during construction.
I-95 north will remain closed for several days approaching the Betsy Ross Bridge/Aramingo Avenue Interchange while Conrail’s contractor performs the bridge repair, PennDOT officials said in a release.
“NJ Transit is working with Conrail and Penn DOT to determine the extent of the damage and the associated repairs,” said Jim Smith, an NJ Transit spokesperson.
Television helicopter photos showed a tractor trailer truck that was carrying a large steel pipe that struck the bottom of the bridge deck. A Conrail spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment.
To help displaced riders, substitute NJ Transit bus service is being run between 30th St. station in Philadelphia and Cherry Hill, Smith said. NJ Transit rail tickets and passes are being cross honored on PATCO and bus route 554, he said.
This is the second major problem for the hard luck highway in less than a year after a tanker truck fire underneath caused a section of I-95 overpass in Philadelphia to buckle and collapse in June 2023.
Stories by Larry Higgs
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Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @CommutingLarry