Here's more detailed project information courtesy of Len Pundt, a member of the PATP/I-95 Interchange Project Community Advisory Committee representing the citizens of Philadelphia:
"The projected timeline for the project is as follows (roughly):
Spring '02 - Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) approved
Fall '02 - Begin final design
'03 - Begin acquisition of right of way (ROW)
'04 - Begin initial construction (drainage, infrastructure improvements,
improvements to surrounding roadways)
'05 - Begin construction of interchange proper
'09 - Complete construction of interchange
There are three related projects that will also be constructed:
1. Widening of mainline PATP to three lanes directionally from Exit 28 (US 1, Philadelphia) to the Delaware River Bridge.
2. Construction of a mainline PATP toll barrier just east of the Neshaminy Service Plaza (just east of Exit 28)
3. Construction of a second Delaware River Bridge next to the existing bridge, increasing the lanes to three lanes directionally.
The toll ticket system will end at the toll barrier. From there east, tolls will be collected by coin drop. This allows the I-95 interchange to be a high-speed interchange, with no toll plaza. This was actually mandated by the Federal legislation (1982) that officially de-designated the original Somerset Freeway segment of I-95 north of Trenton, NJ, and substituted the PATP and NJTP PA Extention and mainline.
The 2015-2016 completion date that has been rumored is not the completion date of the interchange, but the completion date of the last of the three associated projects to be completed. This is the new bridge. The interchange can be built without the widening of the mainline or the addition of the second bridge. It does require a new toll barrier, however.
The completion of the interchange and toll barrier is currently projected for 2008.
There is a newsletter published on this project. You can be added to the database by contacting:
Joe Clemens
Kise Straw and Kolodner, Inc.
123 S. Broad St., Suite 1270
Philadelphia, PA 19109
(215) 790-1050
An official website has now been opened: www.paturnpike.com/i95"
Thanks to Len Pundt for that additional information.
Well, that's just about it for information. My opinion? Well, I think that the Somerset Freeway (the original I-95) should have been built, and should still be built, partly because it is definitely needed to relieve the NJTP, US 1, and the local roads, NJ 31 and US 206, between I-287 (Middlesex Freeway) in Somerville and I-95 in Ewing. The rest of my reasoning is because I am from Ewing, and I would like to see the I-95 designation continue in my hometown. Ooops... Ohh, well.....
I also think that the I-95/I-276 interchange should be built, because such a gap between two interstate highways just plainly shouldn't exist, and I think others (I-295 (Camden Freeway) and I-95 (New Jersey Turnpike Pennsylvania Extension) is another that comes to mind, along basically the same stretch of road, and just a few miles up, no less) should be connected as well. And, anyway, if that's the only way they're gonna finnish I-95, they might as well...
That's about it. A lot of older information I got from Steve Anderson's article on this, Interstate 95 (unbuilt) as well as from the I-95/I-695 DEIS published in 1979 by the NJDOT. Hope you liked my pages on the I-95 gap.
Map 1: I-95 Corridor Shifts, 1954 - 1982
Map 2: Central New Jersey, 1964
Map 3: Central New Jersey, 1968
Map 4: Central New Jersey, 1976
Map 5: Design Schematics for I-95, 1979
Map 6: Central New Jersey, 1984
Map 7: Central New Jersey, 1996
Map 8: Central New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania Today
Map 9: The Future I-95/I-276 Interchange
The I-95 Gap Eastern Bypass
The I-95 Eastern Route
The I-95 Western Route
The I-95 Gap Western Bypass
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