Drivers alert: PennDOT is closing northbound I-95 at Penn's Landing for an entire weekend

I-95 northbound lanes will be closed for a weekend in February to accommodate demolition work related to the project capping the expressway.

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — Drivers, start planning alternate routes now. PennDOT is closing northbound I-95 near Penn’s Landing for a whole weekend for demolition work related to the project capping the expressway with a 12-acre park connecting Old City to the Delaware Riverfront.

The lane closures are to accommodate demolition of the rest of the Walnut Street and Chestnut Street bridges over I-95.

Starting at 6 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 3, there will be lane closures on northbound I-95. At 6 p.m. that day, through 5 a.m. Monday, Feb. 5, the northbound expressway will be closed from Exit 20 to Exit 22.

The alternates are all over the place, and none of them is easy. PennDOT recommends northbound drivers use the Blue Route to Route 1 or perhaps even crossing into New Jersey.

Westbound drivers on the Walt Whitman Bridge will be directed to use the westbound Schuylkill Expressway and the Vine Street Expressway to get to northbound I-95.

PennDOT representative Brad Rudolph says this is something that drivers are really going to have to plan for.

“There is no quick way around the closure. There will be significant delays on all of these alternate routes. We do encourage drivers to use their map provider of choice to select the best alternative route for their travel plans.”

In the event of extreme rain or snow, PennDOT is looking at Presidents’ Day weekend — Feb. 17 to Feb. 19 — as a possible alternate weekend.

This is just the beginning of a long-term project. There will be three other similar weekend closures this winter and spring — the latter two involving the southbound lanes, as crews continue their demolition.

This part of the long-term $329 million CAP (Central Access Philadelphia) Project over I-95.