PHILADELPHIA — As motorists struggled with the first day of what is expected to be a month-long commute on Monday, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a declaration of emergency to expedite the rebuilding of a bridge over Interstate 95 that collapsed after being damaged in a fire Gasoline tanker had gone up in flames.

The Northeast Philadelphia fire and bridge collapse are under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. Details about what might have started the fire were few, but after the gasoline ignited, experts said it could easily have reached temperatures high enough to threaten the strength of the steel and concrete supporting the bridge .

Officials said replacing the bridge — and repairing the adjacent southbound bridge, which has been deemed unsafe for traffic — could take months. Demolition work began on Monday. The declaration of emergency has made $7 million in state funds immediately available and the state can proceed without complying with normal bidding rules.

The collapse of the bridge, which carries about 160,000 vehicles a day, shut down traffic on surrounding roads and dealt an economic blow to the region by leaving a section of the East Coast’s busiest freeway impassable. The detour involves diverting traffic onto US 1, a much smaller road north and west of the bridge.

Mapping the closure of Philadelphia Interstate 95 and new detour routes

Flashing freeway signs on northbound I-95 warned motorists of the collapse about 120 miles away in Columbia, Maryland.

“Accident in Philadelphia at exit 26,” read the message. “All lanes closed.”

Despite the closure, a steady stream of vehicles continued Monday into the heart of the city, past Lincoln Financial Field and an attorney’s billboard with a message reminiscent of Philadelphia asking drivers, “Are you hurt?”

Downtown traffic signs warned that I-95 was closed and urged motorists to use Interstate 676. Traffic swerved on the detour like a school of fish.

A few cars stayed as far as exit 26, where the exit ramp led to side streets lined with row houses, car lots, tire shops, and appliance stores. Traffic pushed forward slowly, bumper to bumper, including a slow parade of cars, trucks loaded with building materials, public transit buses, and a red Toyota Camry with black-painted rims driven by plumber Dave Marciano.

Marciano, 44, grew up nearby but now resides in New Jersey. Many of his customers are from Northeast Philadelphia and the neighborhoods near the collapse.

He stopped at a gas station on Cottman Avenue, where he was filling up after a long night at the nearby casino where he lost “everything,” including his wallet. He was on his way to a job and said the traffic only made his bad day worse.

“It’s never like that,” he said over the hum of the news helicopters. “Cops block everything.”

Around the Tacony neighborhood, police SUVs blocked roads leading east to the Delaware River and the collapsed freeway. Marciano said the closure will “disrupt everything” as his job requires driving through North Philadelphia.

“It’s an inconvenience to drive on 95 from the start,” he said, echoing a common complaint from Philadelphians about road projects that never seem to be completed.

Marciano said he’s not sure how he’ll be doing over the next few months. “Leave earlier,” he said. “I’m pretty smart when it comes to figuring things out.”

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Monday he spoke with Shapiro (D) and Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney (D). The chief of the Federal Highway Administration was at the scene and federal agencies responsible for trucking and hazmat transportation were involved in the response, officials said.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke about the Philadelphia freeway collapse during the 2023 annual convention and legislative summit on June 12. (Video: The Washington Post)

Buttigieg said the region “will have the full support of the US Department of Transportation until normality is restored.”

While state officials consider how to restore the freeway, it will be up to the NTSB to investigate the incident. Sarah Sulick, a spokeswoman for the panel, said the team charged with the investigation consisted of experts in trucking and hazardous materials, highways and emergency response.

Pennsylvania’s governor says rebuilding the Interstate-95 overpass will take months

The Board is expected to issue preliminary findings of fact in the coming weeks, but a full report is expected to take at least a year. The final report could include recommendations on how to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The collapsed bridge was constructed in 2016 and is considered in good condition, according to the state. It was built as part of a $270 million project to replace bridges along a section of I-95 and make other highway upgrades.

Andy Herrmann, a former president of the American Society of Civil Engineers, said burning gasoline seemed the likely cause of the collapse. While standard design guides consider seismic protection and other risks, fire protection is not usually a priority, Herrmann said.

“The cost of fireproofing all overpasses across the country would be enormous,” he said.

A study funded by the Federal Highway Administration found that fires in the United States caused bridge collapses 30 times from 1980 to 2012. The broken bridges were made of steel 45 percent of the time, concrete 17 percent, and wood 38 percent, according to University at Buffalo researchers.

“The crash of a tanker carrying a large quantity of flammable substances, forest fires or arson can bring down a modern bridge,” the researchers wrote in 2013.

They also found that “even if a fire caused the failure, in most cases there is also another cause of the failure,” such as the combined effects of fire and collision.

In 2007, a gas tanker overturned near the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and caught fire, causing a section of the freeway to collapse. In 2017, an elevated section of Interstate 85 in Georgia collapsed after a fire. The NTSB concluded that the cause had been caused by rolls of plastic and pieces of fiberglass stored under the street.

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As the cost of a new building at Manatee County’s Bishop Animal Shelter in Bradenton continues to rise, county commissioners have laid down their financial leg.

A $17 million estimate by county employees to construct a building in Bishop to triple the shelter’s 53 kennels was presented to commissioners on February 14 for the first time.

After the district commission approved the Bishop Animal Shelter’s donation in December 2021 and then took control of the facility the following March, the conversation focused on whether the district could close its existing 85-kennel shelter in Palmetto and whether to build a new facility would be needed in the Lakewood Ranch area.

Sarah Brown, department head for the county’s animal services, told commissioners that a centralized facility would best serve the county so animal services staff could work together more effectively, rather than being split across different facilities.

District 5 Commissioner Vanessa Baugh told Brown that the palmetto plant “definitely needs to be flattened.”

With $8 million in county funds diverted from a potential facility in the Lakewood Ranch area and earmarked for the Bishop Animal Shelter, the commissioners made it clear that they are committed to a centralized individual animal shelter.

However, the commissioners rolled their eyes when told that plans for a new building at the Bishop Animal Shelter had skyrocketed to $17 million. According to Tom Yarger, Manatee County Construction Superintendent, a $17 million facility would have consisted of about 15,000 square feet with 100 kennels.

As of March 2022, the donation of the Bishop Animal Shelter and associated 14 acres was estimated at $18 million.

Do taxpayers want a $35 million animal shelter?

“I see you need more kennels,” Baugh told Brown. “Right now we need to find an $8 million solution. Jokes aside, I don’t know if we can afford to give you more. I don’t see how we can add anything to that.”

Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge agreed.

“I don’t see more money coming into play here,” he said. “But we want to get you out of Palmetto.”

Commissioners urged county staff to come up with a plan for an $8 building at the Bishop Animal Shelter — and no more. They said when that plan is in place to return to the commission with a presentation.

At the February 14 meeting, the commissioners went through a list of capital improvement projects that had become far more expensive. The commissioners said they were not informed of the project’s grossly inflated costs by former administrator Scott Hopes.

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The animal services improvements were just one example of spending running amok and unbeknownst to the commissioners of the plans.

One of the arguments for building a shelter in the Lakewood Ranch area was that residents there would not use shelters in Palmetto or West Bradenton.

This was felt to be a problem as animal shelters could not rely on their fastest growing area to take in abandoned pets and thus make room for more pets.

Commissioner General Jason Bearden said the county should be able to overcome such a problem by increasing its marketing to the Bishop facility and by targeting residents of Parrish and the Lakewood Ranch area.

He said many people he spoke to didn’t know there was an animal shelter in Bradenton.

Van Ostenbridge said he spoke to Hopes about providing $500 in advertising money for Manatee County Animal Welfare’s public relations and events specialist, Hans Wohlfahrt, to refer residents of Parrish and Lakewood Ranch to the bishop could draw attention to.

In June 2021, then-Commissioner Carol Whitmore said the need to build an emergency shelter in East County was all about smart planning for the future in the face of a growing population. At the time, some commissioners suggested the county wait until the donated Bishop facility was operational for a period of time before making a decision.

The current Bishop facility includes a veterinary clinic and cat homes.

Yarger said the new Bishop facility would include an educational component but not a veterinarian component like the current building does.

He said a new building would need a lift station, as well as the standard ventilation for both dog and cat kennels, and enough plumbing for each kennel to have access to a drain and hose.

The construction of a new building would require the removal of much of an old building, originally constructed in the 1950s and renovated in the 1970s but which has since deteriorated.

Some of the bricks used in this building would be preserved for historical value.

Deputy Administrator Charlie Bishop talks about the shelter.

Photo by Ian Swaby

Assistant District Manager Charlie Bishop said while he could not elaborate on the project in its “quiet phase,” the district is preparing to select a project architect.

It is also being considered whether a new building must be hardened for hurricanes up to category 3 so that the animals do not have to be taken to another area in the event of a large storm.

The new building in Bishop is hardened.

Yarger estimated that not hardening the new building would save about 25% on construction.

Bishop said he recommended spending $50,000 to add double-throw separation so a generator could be activated by the flick of a switch in the event of a strong storm. The commissioners agreed that this was a good idea.

Manatee County Animal Services division chief Sarah Brown told commissioners that hundreds of thousands of dollars had been spent on the Palmetto facility’s “patch care.” She said that despite significant repairs, problems with the installation arise every day.

“It’s a money pit,” she said.

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TROY, NY — Hudson Valley Community College has been selected to help train a pipeline of skilled workers for clean energy jobs that are ramping up in the Capital Region.

Through grant funding provided by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the college’s Office of Workforce Development is able to offer an unprecedented opportunity for eligible students. A subset of eligible students will receive tuition reimbursement and additional support services in pursuing the college’s Heating/Air Conditioning/Refrigeration Technical Services AOS degree or Construction certificate.

Hundreds of skilled workers for the building trades, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration and high-efficiency heat pumps will be needed over the next several years in the Capital Region.

Hudson Valley Community College’s Green Jobs Training Program is part of a New York State-funded study to measure if offering adult learners skills training in clean energy, along with extra support, helps them to complete training, find employment, and earn higher salaries. The opportunity to receive enhanced support services, including tuition assistance, is limited. Eligible applicants will be chosen by a computerized selection process.

Minimum qualifications for the program:

• must be a resident of New York State for the previous 12 months
• at least 16 years or older and not officially enrolled in high school
• meet additional educational and economic guidelines

Enhanced support services available for a subset of eligible students include:

• Tuition assistance
• counseling
• One on one tutoring
• Resume writing assistance, interview prep and skills workshops
• Job fairs

The post Grant funding hopes to attract college students into HVAC careers at HVCC – Saratogian appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

TROY, NY — Hudson Valley Community College has been selected to help train a pipeline of skilled workers for clean energy jobs that are ramping up in the Capital Region.

Through grant funding provided by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the college’s Office of Workforce Development is able to offer an unprecedented opportunity for eligible students. A subset of eligible students will receive tuition reimbursement and additional support services in pursuing the college’s Heating/Air Conditioning/Refrigeration Technical Services AOS degree or Construction certificate.

Hundreds of skilled workers for the building trades, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration and high-efficiency heat pumps will be needed over the next several years in the Capital Region.

Hudson Valley Community College’s Green Jobs Training Program is part of a New York State-funded study to measure if offering adult learners skills training in clean energy, along with extra support, helps them to complete training, find employment, and earn higher salaries. The opportunity to receive enhanced support services, including tuition assistance, is limited. Eligible applicants will be chosen by a computerized selection process.

Minimum qualifications for the program:

• must be a resident of New York State for the previous 12 months
• at least 16 years or older and not officially enrolled in high school
• meet additional educational and economic guidelines

Enhanced support services available for a subset of eligible students include:

• Tuition assistance
• counseling
• One on one tutoring
• Resume writing assistance, interview prep and skills workshops
• Job fairs

The post Grant funding hopes to attract college students into HVAC careers at HVCC – troyrecord appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The fireworks returned to the San Francisco waterfront on Sunday evening, the skipped border on a July 4th when communities in the Bay Area returned to more typical celebrations of the holiday, but events are still fueled by concerns about COVID-19 and the California drought have been mitigated.

Punctually at 9:30 pm, the colorful fusillade, accompanied by upbeat music, began from a platform in the bay near Pier 39. The multicolored fireworks lit the sky and drew the crowds along the water along Fisherman’s Wharf and Aquatic Park appreciative screams.

Thousands of revelers flocked to the area to see the city’s traditional July 4th exhibition after last summer’s pandemic-forced cancellation of the holiday left few options but to stay home.

“We are regulars, my son and I,” said Maritza Longland from San Mateo. “It’s refreshing to be back.”

Pier 39 was crowded for the celebration, as was Jefferson Street in the heart of Fisherman’s Wharf. All the wooden railings along the water were lined with people, and every green patch was filled. The Aquatic Park was teeming with couples, families, and groups of friends looking for open vantage points – some of them wrapped in blankets to ward off the summer chill.

At 8:45 p.m., before the fireworks began, Pier 39 was so crowded that police ordered it to be closed to anyone who was already there. Security forces used metal barricades to keep others away.

Visitors Daniel and Ashley Daniele from Elk Grove, near Sacramento, grabbed a seat on the Aquatic Park lawn just after 6 p.m. for a good view of the fireworks.

“We have never seen fireworks here and it seemed like a good year to come,” said Ashley. They too enjoyed the freezing cold, in contrast to their glowing Central Valley home: “It doesn’t seem that bad.”

The fireworks event was not as extensive as it was before the pandemic. The fireworks itself was a 30-minute choreographed spectacle, but the run-up was less bombastic. For example, there was no afternoon music in the Aquatic Park.

“It’s not too crowded – some years you can’t move,” said Longland, a city native who has attended more than a dozen times. “In some years there are noisy people, but it’s nice to be back in San Francisco and have an urban experience.”

Other parts of the Bay Area celebrated the day with a variety of festivities, but many chose not to go as far as San Francisco for large fireworks displays. There were some pyrotechnic shows, but a number of cities around the bay canceled their annual fireworks tradition, including Benicia, Berkeley, Mountain View, Redwood City, and San Rafael.

Tinder-dry conditions in bushy, less developed areas mean that Berkeley and Oakland closed Grizzly Peak Road. In addition, due to the high risk of fire, UC Berkeley blocked access to observation seats on hillside locations such as the parking lots of the UC Botanical Gardens and the Lawrence Hall of Science. Previously, San Mateo County had increased its fine for using illegal fireworks tenfold, to $ 1,000 for a first offense. Officials were on high alert for forest fires, given the scorching heat in many parts of the state, as well as the wind and dry terrain.

But there were still many official holiday parades, picnics, and concerts. An example of improvisation as the pandemic subsides: Alameda sponsored its very first “Veranda in July” – where residents could decorate their porches, cars or front yards, and judges visited them to criticize them in five different categories, including “Most Star -Spangled “ghost.”

John King is a contributor to the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: jking@sfchronicle.com

The post San Francisco fireworks, again after skipping a 12 months, draw throngs to waterfront appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

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