Lots of Philadelphia Highway Closures This Weekend Making Driving Frustrating

by KYW's Michelle Durham

A number of road closures -- both scheduled and unscheduled -- will be making travel tedious for Delaware Valley commuters this weekend.

Both Kelly Drive and Martin Luther King Drive are closed. Fairmount Park spokesman Barry Bessler says the Kelly Drive closure had been previously planned:

"One of our major regattas is taking place this weekend, and the Kelly Drive is being detoured."

But now, he says, Martin Luther King Drive is closed for emergency construction as well:

"We noticed a while back there was a sinkhole and undermining of the roadway, and the problem was more significant than originally anticipated."

So that means the Martin Luther King Drive will be closed from the Falls Bridge to Montgomery Avenue through Sunday at least.

Fortunately, Penndot had construction planned for the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) this weekend -- but they do have plans for I-95.

Charlie Metzger is a Penndot spokesman:

"I-95 north and south, right and center lane closures at the Betsy Ross Bridge. And also, the left lane closed at the Betsy Ross Bridge all weekend."

And that will be in effect until 5:00am Monday morning.

So what's a driver to do?  Here are some alternate route possibilities.

For Kelly Drive, you can follow the detour through the park past the regatta or take the westbound Schuylkill Expressway. Those who live in some of the western suburbs may opt to take Broad Street all the way out to Route 309.

For Martin Luther King Drive, you can get onto the MLK at the art museum, then take Montgomery Avenue to Belmont Avenue. Then, make a right onto City Avenue and take City Avenue to Lincoln Drive or the Schuylkill Expressway.

For I-95 southbound this weekend, take State Road in Northeast Philadelphia to Tacony Street, then get on I-95 at Bridge Street to bypass the delay.

For I-95 northbound from the city, get off at Allegheny Avenue, then make a "half left" off Aramingo Avenue and take Aramingo Avenue north to Princeton Avenue. Make a right turn and get back on I-95 North between Cottman Avenue and Academy Road.  

And listen to KYW Newsradio 1060 for "Traffic and Transit on the Twos," every 10 minutes, 24 hours a day!

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