Philly fixed a melted interstate in 12 days. Why does everything else take so long?

A petrol tanker fire caused part of Philadelphia’s I-95 to collapse in June 2023, cutting a major East Coast route. The highway reopened just 12 days later, demonstrating how quickly large infrastructure projects can be completed when officials treat them as an emergency and clear obstacles.

Pennsylvania’s governor declared a disaster, which unlocked funding and allowed normal bidding and contracting rules to be waived. Crews worked night and day, including 84-hour weeks, while workers and money were redirected from other projects. The article argues that this speed came at a cost and cannot be applied everywhere, but suggests the US could reconsider rules that slow routine transport projects.