NASCAR jet dryer ready to help speed up I-95 opening in Philadelphia

A special NASCAR vehicle will be available to help as crews work to reopen a damaged portion of I-95 in Philadelphia just weeks after a fire caused several lanes of the highway to collapse. 

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro initially said it would take “months” before the section of the highway, which is used by about 160,000 vehicles daily, could reopen. On June 17, that estimate was revised to a matter of weeks, according to a project timeline. On Tuesday, June 20, Shapiro said the lanes would be re-opened by the weekend. 

However, wet weather on the East Coast threatened to derail that: To complete the paving and striping process, workers need 12 hours of dry weather, Shapiro said on Twitter, but there is rain expected in the area for the next several days. 

Now help is coming in the form of a NASCAR jet dryer, Shapiro announced. These vehicles use compressed air to push water off racetracks. 

The vehicle is coming from the Pocono Raceway. On Facebook, the raceway said the vehicle will be on standby to dry the road “if needed … in order for line painting to not be delayed.” 

Repair work has been underway since the accident on June 11. A Proclamation of Disaster Emergency was signed by Shapiro to ensure money was available for repairs. 

Officials, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, visited the damaged area before it was demolished on June 15, ahead of schedule. Once the damaged parts of the road were demolished, work crews built an interim roadway, which will allow for three temporary lanes in each direction. The interim roadway was set to be paved on June 21. 

A 24-hour livestream is available so people can watch the work happen in real-time.