Holy Family University, in collaboration with Buckley Construction and the Building Trades Council, will host I-95 workers and their families from the Building Trades Council, First Responders Unions, PennDOT, USDOT, and SEPTA for an appreciation luncheon on Saturday, May 11 from 10:30 AM-2 PM in the Campus Center Gymnasium on the University’s Philadelphia campus.

Sweet Lucy’s BBQ, a local business greatly impacted by the closure of I-95 in June 2023, will cater the event.

On Jun. 11, 2023, a tanker truck carrying 8,500 gallons of gasoline lost control as it attempted to exit the highway. The resulting explosion and fire caused the overpass connecting Interstate 95 to the Cottman Avenue interchange in the Tacony neighborhood to collapse. The accident forced a nine-mile closure in both directions of I-95 between Betsy Ross Bridge/Aramingo Avenue (exit 26) and Woodhaven Road (exit 35).

Following the construction of a temporary roadway, traffic on I-95 resumed on Jun. 23, 2023, less than two weeks after the closure. The area affected by the crash carried approximately 160,000 vehicles daily. The permanent northbound lanes reopened on Nov. 7, 2023, and the permanent southbound lanes reopened two days later, on Nov. 9, 2023.

“The importance of the I-95 corridor to Philadelphia, and most especially to our Northeast and Bucks County campus locations, cannot be overstated,” Holy Family President Anne Prisco said. “The reopening of this highway restored a lifeline to the University and the surrounding community. We are grateful for the leadership of National Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey, Governor Josh Shapiro, PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll, former Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, and the dedicated team of workers who quickly assessed the situation and jumped into action. Their combined efforts and swift response were monumentally successful. As an anchor institution in Northeast Philadelphia, I-95 is a vital part of our everyday lives on campus. Our motto, ‘Teneor Votis,’ translates to, ‘We are bound by our responsibilities.'”

Prisco praised all involved for doing what it took to reopen the highway.

“No matter how easy or hard those responsibilities, with its closure, almost every member of our campus community was impacted, and it is important that we thank the hard-working men and women who reopened this highway,” she said. “These workers answered the call, and it is our pleasure to welcome them to our campus and thank them for their incredible work.”

Learn more at Holy Family University. Holy Family University is a private institution in the Catholic tradition with campus 
locations in Philadelphia and Newtown. Founded in 1954, the University is informed by its values-driven mission. Holy Family embraces diversity and inclusion, ensuring a welcoming and accessible learning community for all.