Authorities of the southern Brazil state of Rio Grande do Sul said Friday that three people died and 12 were missing after a winter storm swept through the region.

Gov. Eduardo Leite said two people died in the city of Sao Leopoldo and one was killed in Maquine, on the state’s coast.

Several roads were still blocked in Rio Grande do Sul, flights to the state’s main cities were cancelled throughout the day and electricity was out across state.

Mayors of cities that were affected said twice as much rain fell in 24 hours than would normally be expected for the entire month of June.

The mayor of Maquine said on his social media channels that precipitation in his city surpassed 29.4 centimeters (about 11 inches) in one day.

Experts said the storm was an extratropical cyclone, a type of weather system that most often occurs in middle and high latitudes rather than in the tropics.

The United Kingdom is bracing itself for a full 24 hours of storms this weekend, with weather alerts predicting heavy rainfall and dangerous lightning.

The Met Office has issued warnings for Father’s Day, stating that an Atlantic system will sweep across England and Wales on June 18. The rapid change in weather will abruptly end the summer-like conditions experienced in recent days.

The downpours and thunderstorms are expected to start from midnight on Father’s Day and persist until 11:59 pm on Monday, June 20.

Chris Almond, the Deputy Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, warns that the intensity and frequency of thunderstorms will increase throughout the weekend. These storms may bring lightning, gusty winds, and even hail.

The agency highlights the risk of flooding due to the heavy rainfall, with the potential for 30mm (1.18 inches) of rain in an hour and 60mm (2.36 inches) in six hours. Flooding could isolate some communities and lead to widespread traffic delays. Additionally, deeper waters and lightning strikes may cause damage to buildings.

While the severity of the storms may subside in the following days, showers are expected to continue. On Tuesday, June 20, central England may experience lighter rain, but heavier showers are forecasted thereafter, with some areas receiving up to 5mm of rain per hour. Long-range forecasts indicate the possibility of heavy rain persisting until June 29, accompanied by slightly lower temperatures. However, conditions are expected to settle towards the end of the month.

When you want the real scoop on the best places to go in Australia — and what to do while there — turn to the locals.

Australians will take any excuse to pack up and go. Whether it’s a school break, the festive season, or a long weekend, we love every opportunity to hit the road.

When this happens, you’ll find cities emptied and highways filled as locals migrate like geese to some hallowed turf they return to each year (think sun-kissed weatherboard beach houses brimming with memories of childhood summers or a favorite retreat in the country).

For many Australians, vacations are a chance to reconnect with the great outdoors, and thankfully, the Lucky Country has a rich variety of landscapes to explore year round, from colorful reefs to ochre deserts to powdered mountains. Throw in a healthy appetite and your favorite road trip playlist, and you’re set to experience Australia like a local.

Bondi to Bronte Coastal Walk, New South Wales

Australia is known for its gorgeous coastline, and no trip to Sydney is complete without a visit to the nearby shores. Start at Australia’s iconic Bondi Beach and stroll south toward Bronte, stopping along the way at the viewpoints and public parks to take in the stunning coastal scenery. Extend your scenic walk by following the path down to Coogee Beach, passing oceanfront saltwater pools, the picturesque Waverley Cemetery, and several golden-sand beaches along the way.

The walk from Ben Buckler Point past Bronte Beach to Waverley Cemetery takes about 90 minutes, but you could easily make this a half-day excursion if you take your time and grab a drink or bite along the way.

Bright, Victoria

Hidden in the mountainous folds of Victoria’s high country, just a four-hour drive northeast of Melbourne, Bright feels like something of a revelation. Set in a pine forest valley on the banks of the Ovens River, the town is a charming perennial favorite among local vacationers.

In the summer, kids flood the water playground by the river and gold panners sit along the water’s edge hoping to uncover remnants of the region’s prospecting past. Thrill-seekers can hike or mountain bike on nearby Mount Feathertop and Mount Beauty, while gastronomes can either lazily pick their way through weekend markets brimming with fresh produce or pop on a helmet and pedal between cellar doors.

Hidden in the mountainous folds of Victoria’s high country, just a four-hour drive northeast of Melbourne, Bright feels like something of a revelation. Set in a pine forest valley on the banks of the Ovens River, the town is a charming perennial favorite among local vacationers.

In the summer, kids flood the water playground by the river and gold panners sit along the water’s edge hoping to uncover remnants of the region’s prospecting past. Thrill-seekers can hike or mountain bike on nearby Mount Feathertop and Mount Beauty, while gastronomes can either lazily pick their way through weekend markets brimming with fresh produce or pop on a helmet and pedal between cellar doors.

Bruny Island, Tasmania

Seemingly huddled into the Tasmanian mainland against the elements, rugged Bruny Island punches well above its weight for its size. Blessed with fertile soils and cold, clean waters, the island has played a significant role in Tasmania’s reputation as a foodie haven, with a constellation of wineries, chocolateries, and oyster farms that attracts hungry locals.

Those who prefer a taste of adventure instead should indulge in the island’s network of hiking trails and lookouts, such as The Neck and South Bruny National Park. Keen-eyed visitors will spot fur seals lolling about on beaches, as well as humpback whales making their annual migrations to and from Antarctica. If you time your visit right, on a clear night in the winter, you might also see one of the island’s other hidden secrets: the aurora australis — also known as the Southern Hemisphere’s answer to the northern lights — shimmering on the horizon.

Katoomba, New South Wales

Located just 90 minutes west of Sydney, Katoomba is the eucalyptus-fringed heart of the Blue Mountains, a World Heritage range that draws Australians wanting to escape to the bush while eschewing tentpoles and swags in favor of luxury hotels.

Naturally, hiking and the great outdoors are the main attractions here ­— especially the Three Sisters rock formation and the Jenolan Caves, an extensive network of underground caves whose acoustics lend themselves to monthly cave concerts. Across the Blue Mountains are cultural sites important to the Gundungurra people, including songline storytelling trails and cave paintings dating back 1,600 years. The region is also a popular wellness retreat, with locals indulging in pampering at a day spa or yoga class at the Kurrara Historic Guest House.

Occasionally, the mountain range receives snow in the winter, which is all we need to throw a Christmas in July festival, complete with log fires, sing-alongs, and special, yuletide-themed menus in Katoomba’s restaurants.

Esperance, Western Australia

At first glance, you might expect Esperance to be on a postcard from Queensland, thanks to the kangaroos skipping across pristine white-sand beaches. But here’s the catch: Esperance is actually along Western Australia’s southern coastline, and it’s still relatively undiscovered, due to its remote location (about a day’s drive or a 90-minute regional flight from the nearest city, Perth).

This means the locals have been able to enjoy Esperance all to themselves, only sharing the beaches with sunbathing kangaroos. It’s the kind of place where kids grow up searching for crabs in rock pools on one of the hundreds of uninhabited islands, or spend long days in the surf before returning, salty-haired, to camp for a sunset barbecue. Australians have always loved offbeat things, which is why you’ll find some oddities nearby, including the luminously pink Lake Hillier, remnants of the NASA space station that crashed here 40 years ago, and an inexplicably out-of-place full-scale replica of Stonehenge.

When you want the real scoop on the best places to go in Australia — and what to do while there — turn to the locals.

Australians will take any excuse to pack up and go. Whether it’s a school break, the festive season, or a long weekend, we love every opportunity to hit the road.

When this happens, you’ll find cities emptied and highways filled as locals migrate like geese to some hallowed turf they return to each year (think sun-kissed weatherboard beach houses brimming with memories of childhood summers or a favorite retreat in the country).

For many Australians, vacations are a chance to reconnect with the great outdoors, and thankfully, the Lucky Country has a rich variety of landscapes to explore year round, from colorful reefs to ochre deserts to powdered mountains. Throw in a healthy appetite and your favorite road trip playlist, and you’re set to experience Australia like a local.

Bondi to Bronte Coastal Walk, New South Wales

Australia is known for its gorgeous coastline, and no trip to Sydney is complete without a visit to the nearby shores. Start at Australia’s iconic Bondi Beach and stroll south toward Bronte, stopping along the way at the viewpoints and public parks to take in the stunning coastal scenery. Extend your scenic walk by following the path down to Coogee Beach, passing oceanfront saltwater pools, the picturesque Waverley Cemetery, and several golden-sand beaches along the way.

The walk from Ben Buckler Point past Bronte Beach to Waverley Cemetery takes about 90 minutes, but you could easily make this a half-day excursion if you take your time and grab a drink or bite along the way.

Bright, Victoria

Hidden in the mountainous folds of Victoria’s high country, just a four-hour drive northeast of Melbourne, Bright feels like something of a revelation. Set in a pine forest valley on the banks of the Ovens River, the town is a charming perennial favorite among local vacationers.

In the summer, kids flood the water playground by the river and gold panners sit along the water’s edge hoping to uncover remnants of the region’s prospecting past. Thrill-seekers can hike or mountain bike on nearby Mount Feathertop and Mount Beauty, while gastronomes can either lazily pick their way through weekend markets brimming with fresh produce or pop on a helmet and pedal between cellar doors.

Hidden in the mountainous folds of Victoria’s high country, just a four-hour drive northeast of Melbourne, Bright feels like something of a revelation. Set in a pine forest valley on the banks of the Ovens River, the town is a charming perennial favorite among local vacationers.

In the summer, kids flood the water playground by the river and gold panners sit along the water’s edge hoping to uncover remnants of the region’s prospecting past. Thrill-seekers can hike or mountain bike on nearby Mount Feathertop and Mount Beauty, while gastronomes can either lazily pick their way through weekend markets brimming with fresh produce or pop on a helmet and pedal between cellar doors.

Bruny Island, Tasmania

Seemingly huddled into the Tasmanian mainland against the elements, rugged Bruny Island punches well above its weight for its size. Blessed with fertile soils and cold, clean waters, the island has played a significant role in Tasmania’s reputation as a foodie haven, with a constellation of wineries, chocolateries, and oyster farms that attracts hungry locals.

Those who prefer a taste of adventure instead should indulge in the island’s network of hiking trails and lookouts, such as The Neck and South Bruny National Park. Keen-eyed visitors will spot fur seals lolling about on beaches, as well as humpback whales making their annual migrations to and from Antarctica. If you time your visit right, on a clear night in the winter, you might also see one of the island’s other hidden secrets: the aurora australis — also known as the Southern Hemisphere’s answer to the northern lights — shimmering on the horizon.

Katoomba, New South Wales

Located just 90 minutes west of Sydney, Katoomba is the eucalyptus-fringed heart of the Blue Mountains, a World Heritage range that draws Australians wanting to escape to the bush while eschewing tentpoles and swags in favor of luxury hotels.

Naturally, hiking and the great outdoors are the main attractions here ­— especially the Three Sisters rock formation and the Jenolan Caves, an extensive network of underground caves whose acoustics lend themselves to monthly cave concerts. Across the Blue Mountains are cultural sites important to the Gundungurra people, including songline storytelling trails and cave paintings dating back 1,600 years. The region is also a popular wellness retreat, with locals indulging in pampering at a day spa or yoga class at the Kurrara Historic Guest House.

Occasionally, the mountain range receives snow in the winter, which is all we need to throw a Christmas in July festival, complete with log fires, sing-alongs, and special, yuletide-themed menus in Katoomba’s restaurants.

Esperance, Western Australia

At first glance, you might expect Esperance to be on a postcard from Queensland, thanks to the kangaroos skipping across pristine white-sand beaches. But here’s the catch: Esperance is actually along Western Australia’s southern coastline, and it’s still relatively undiscovered, due to its remote location (about a day’s drive or a 90-minute regional flight from the nearest city, Perth).

This means the locals have been able to enjoy Esperance all to themselves, only sharing the beaches with sunbathing kangaroos. It’s the kind of place where kids grow up searching for crabs in rock pools on one of the hundreds of uninhabited islands, or spend long days in the surf before returning, salty-haired, to camp for a sunset barbecue. Australians have always loved offbeat things, which is why you’ll find some oddities nearby, including the luminously pink Lake Hillier, remnants of the NASA space station that crashed here 40 years ago, and an inexplicably out-of-place full-scale replica of Stonehenge.

The tall, the small, the powerful, and the pretty — these are America’s best waterfalls.

So often waterfalls are judged on their beauty or their brawn — the tallest, the most powerful, the most beautiful. All are valid superlatives. But what makes one the best? What about a waterfall makes you want to visit, to hike to its location, and stand in its spray? There’s no wrong answer, but perhaps — whether it’s the surrounding area, its historical or geographical significance, its aesthetics, or a combination of all three — we can concede that some are slightly more engaging than others.

Waterfalls have a somewhat mystical place in our psyche. Raw and enchanting, they make you feel small. And sometimes, the best ones are just fun to check off your travel list. America has more than 17,000 documented waterfalls. Here’s the best waterfall in each U.S. state.

1. Little River Falls, Alabama

Other waterfalls in Alabama might be considered more spectacular, or at least taller (here’s looking at you, DeSoto Falls), but Little River Falls in Little River Canyon is supreme. Why? Because the 45-foot falls flow into one of the best swimming holes in the country.

2. Horsetail Falls, Alaska

Horsetail Falls is a twofer: stunning in the summer and an exceptional ice-climbing destination in the winter when the cascade freezes. What’s more, the surrounding city of Valdez is the snowiest in the U.S., which translates to tons of spring waterfalls from all the snowmelt. Bridal Veil Falls, Gold Creek Falls, Horsetail Creek Falls (not to be confused with Horsetail Falls) — there’s a waterfall on almost every hike in the area.

3.Grand Falls, Arizona

The famed waterfall of Havasupai is, without a doubt, a spectacle, but permitted access is tricky. Grand Falls on Navajo Nation land in the Painted Desert is open to all and totally unique; the Little Colorado River’s silt-laden water gives the falls a rich chocolate color. “The first time I saw them, I cried. They were so beautiful,” says Marjorie Magnusson, Arizona Office of Tourism’s media relations manager.

4. Twin Falls, Arkansas

In Ozark National Forest, in the Richland Creek Wilderness, you’ll find Twin Falls. If you’re there shortly after a big rainfall, though, you might be treated to “Triple Falls,” when three cascades emerge rather than the usual two. Either way, the area is beautiful and offers prime hiking.

5. Burney Falls, California

A special shout-out to the beguiling Yosemite Falls, but McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park’s spring-fed Burney Falls is in a class all its own. Fern-cloaked and ethereal, the 129-foot cascades are perhaps the most striking in a region laden with fantastic-looking waterfalls. Phantom Falls on North Table Mountain in Oroville, the three-tiered McCloud Falls just south of Mount Shasta’s majestic slopes, Hedge Creek Falls — take your pick.

Yellowstone National Park is currently closed after devastating floods. Here’s what travelers need to know, according to local authorities.

Large swaths of Yellowstone National Park will likely remain closed for the rest of the season after the park was devastated by flooding and collapsed roads this week.

The decision to keep the park closed was made after the National Park Service surveyed the widespread damage during an aerial assessment on Monday, Jun. 13, according to the NPS. The assessment revealed “damage to multiple sections of road between the North Entrance (Gardiner, Montana), Mammoth Hot Springs, Lamar Valley, and Cooke City, Montana.” In fact, many sections of road “are completely gone.”

“This is not just one section, this is not going to be an easy rebuild,” park superintendent Cam Sholly told reporters during a news conference later shared with Travel + Leisure, adding, “The million-dollar question is what’s the damage [and] the answer is, we don’t know exactly yet. When the water subsides, probably early next week, we will be pulling together a large number of people from different agencies around the country to come to Yellowstone to help us assess what the damage is to various infrastructure in the park.”

In the meantime, the NPS and Yellowstone National Park Lodges have asked all overnight visitors to leave both lodges and campsites. A spokesperson for Yellowstone National Park Lodges told T+L the group was “contacting all impacted guests with reservations by email and text and providing them guidance.”

As of Thursday, all entrances to the park remained closed, but the NPS said it was possible the southern loop would reopen by Monday, Jun. 20.

Below, everything travelers need to know about the damage at Yellowstone, which recently celebrated its 150th anniversary, and what travelers should expect if they had a trip planned.

Current Damage at Yellowstone National Park

Severe flooding caused by heavy rains and melting snow devastated the park this week, Sholly said. The park received about two to three inches of rain over the weekend, complicated by more than 5 inches of snow that melted due to warming temperatures. There is still about 12 inches of snowpack left in the park that could potentially create even more flooding issues.

The flooding then led to washed out roads, collapsed bridges, and cut off electricity.

Most of the damage was concentrated along the north side of the park where the road was washed out in multiple places and a “significant rockslide” occurred at Gardner Canyon, according to the NPS. Mudslides and downed trees were also found by the Tower Junction to the Northeast Entrance, while water and wastewater systems at Canyon Village and Mammoth Hot Springs have been impacted by flooding.

The power was also out in multiple locations and the local community of Gardiner in Montana was left without water and power in some areas.

When Parts of Yellowstone National Park Will Reopen

Luckily, the park’s southern loop was spared the worst of the damage and may reopen as soon as next week. The southern loop is where travelers can access the famous Old Faithful geyser.

“We’re going to do everything we can to safely reopen,” Sholly said. “That will start with the southern loop in some modified way as far as visitor access goes, and we’re working on a range of alternatives and engaging a lot of partners and stakeholders on what that might look like… I think the southern loop will be open and ready for access relatively soon, but the northern end is going to take a considerable amount of time and effort to get that reopened.”

What to Do If You Have Lodging or Camping Reservations

Currently, Yellowstone National Park Lodges has closed down all in-park operations, including lodging, campgrounds, food services, and tours, according to the group. Those will remain closed through at least June 19. Travelers who are unable to stay or attend a tour because of the closure will receive a full refund and can cancel their reservation online.

All cancellation fees are being waived for reservations through June 30.

“There will be no inbound visitor traffic at any of the five entrances into the park, including visitors with lodging and camping reservations, until conditions improve and park infrastructure is evaluated,” the NPS said on its website.

Sholly said the NPS has contacted or knows the whereabouts of every backcountry user in the park.

“It’s challenging for not just the business operations in the park, but also the gateway communities, hotels that have taken reservations. You’ve got people not only from across America, but around the globe that have trips planned to Yellowstone — they’re looking at what’s happening and determining whether they’re going to make those trips,” Sholly added. “Anytime you take full hotels of people and say ‘your reservation is canceled and you have to leave’ that’s not a good thing for your business model and that’s another reason why it’s important that we come up with a safe way to get reopened as soon as possible.”

While Yellowstone may be closed, Wyoming gateway cities to the park remain open, Piper Singer Cunningham, a spokeswoman with the Wyoming Office of Tourism, told T+L.

What Visitors Can Expect

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Yellowstone National Park May Not Reopen This Season — What to Know If You Have a Trip Planned
Yellowstone National Park is currently closed after devastating floods. Here’s what travelers need to know, according to local authorities.

By Alison Fox Published on June 16, 2022
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Flooding is seen in Livingston, Montana.
Flooding is seen on June 14, 2022 in Livingston, Montana. The Yellowstone River hit has a historic high flow from rain and snow melt from the mountains in and around Yellowstone National Park. PHOTO: WILLIAM CAMPBELL/GETTY IMAGES
Large swaths of Yellowstone National Park will likely remain closed for the rest of the season after the park was devastated by flooding and collapsed roads this week.


The decision to keep the park closed was made after the National Park Service surveyed the widespread damage during an aerial assessment on Monday, Jun. 13, according to the NPS. The assessment revealed “damage to multiple sections of road between the North Entrance (Gardiner, Montana), Mammoth Hot Springs, Lamar Valley, and Cooke City, Montana.” In fact, many sections of road “are completely gone.”


wWater levels in Gardner River rise alongside the North Entrance Road in Yellowstone National Park in Gardiner, Montana.
In this handout photo provided by the National Park Service, water levels in Gardner River rise alongside the North Entrance Road in Yellowstone National Park on June 13, 2022 in Gardiner, Montana. THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE/GETTY IMAGES
“This is not just one section, this is not going to be an easy rebuild,” park superintendent Cam Sholly told reporters during a news conference later shared with Travel + Leisure, adding, “The million-dollar question is what’s the damage [and] the answer is, we don’t know exactly yet. When the water subsides, probably early next week, we will be pulling together a large number of people from different agencies around the country to come to Yellowstone to help us assess what the damage is to various infrastructure in the park.”


In the meantime, the NPS and Yellowstone National Park Lodges have asked all overnight visitors to leave both lodges and campsites. A spokesperson for Yellowstone National Park Lodges told T+L the group was “contacting all impacted guests with reservations by email and text and providing them guidance.”


As of Thursday, all entrances to the park remained closed, but the NPS said it was possible the southern loop would reopen by Monday, Jun. 20.

Below, everything travelers need to know about the damage at Yellowstone, which recently celebrated its 150th anniversary, and what travelers should expect if they had a trip planned.

Current Damage at Yellowstone National Park
Large rocks pile up after a rockslide causing the hazardous conditions and road closure near the North Entrance Road in Yellowstone National Par
Large rocks pile up after a rockslide causing the hazardous conditions and road closure near the North Entrance Road in Yellowstone National Park on June 13, 2022 in Gardiner, Montana. THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE/GETTY IMAGES
Severe flooding caused by heavy rains and melting snow devastated the park this week, Sholly said. The park received about two to three inches of rain over the weekend, complicated by more than 5 inches of snow that melted due to warming temperatures. There is still about 12 inches of snowpack left in the park that could potentially create even more flooding issues.


The flooding then led to washed out roads, collapsed bridges, and cut off electricity.


Most of the damage was concentrated along the north side of the park where the road was washed out in multiple places and a “significant rockslide” occurred at Gardner Canyon, according to the NPS. Mudslides and downed trees were also found by the Tower Junction to the Northeast Entrance, while water and wastewater systems at Canyon Village and Mammoth Hot Springs have been impacted by flooding.

The power was also out in multiple locations and the local community of Gardiner in Montana was left without water and power in some areas.

When Parts of Yellowstone National Park Will Reopen
Luckily, the park’s southern loop was spared the worst of the damage and may reopen as soon as next week. The southern loop is where travelers can access the famous Old Faithful geyser.


“We’re going to do everything we can to safely reopen,” Sholly said. “That will start with the southern loop in some modified way as far as visitor access goes, and we’re working on a range of alternatives and engaging a lot of partners and stakeholders on what that might look like… I think the southern loop will be open and ready for access relatively soon, but the northern end is going to take a considerable amount of time and effort to get that reopened.”

What to Do If You Have Lodging or Camping Reservations
Currently, Yellowstone National Park Lodges has closed down all in-park operations, including lodging, campgrounds, food services, and tours, according to the group. Those will remain closed through at least June 19. Travelers who are unable to stay or attend a tour because of the closure will receive a full refund and can cancel their reservation online.


All cancellation fees are being waived for reservations through June 30.

“There will be no inbound visitor traffic at any of the five entrances into the park, including visitors with lodging and camping reservations, until conditions improve and park infrastructure is evaluated,” the NPS said on its website.

Sholly said the NPS has contacted or knows the whereabouts of every backcountry user in the park.


“It’s challenging for not just the business operations in the park, but also the gateway communities, hotels that have taken reservations. You’ve got people not only from across America, but around the globe that have trips planned to Yellowstone — they’re looking at what’s happening and determining whether they’re going to make those trips,” Sholly added. “Anytime you take full hotels of people and say ‘your reservation is canceled and you have to leave’ that’s not a good thing for your business model and that’s another reason why it’s important that we come up with a safe way to get reopened as soon as possible.”

While Yellowstone may be closed, Wyoming gateway cities to the park remain open, Piper Singer Cunningham, a spokeswoman with the Wyoming Office of Tourism, told T+L.


What Visitors Can Expect
While the southern loop may reopen soon, it will look a bit different for visitors, with a potential reservation system in place.

“Due to the northern loop being unavailable for visitors, the park is analyzing how many visitors can safely visit the southern loop once it’s safe to reopen,” the NPS said on its website. “This will likely mean implementation of some type of temporary reservation system to prevent gridlock and reduce impacts on park infrastructure.”

Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she’s not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.

Fixing this section of interstate will take months.

A key section of the busy Interstate 95 in Philadelphia collapsed on Sunday, closing the highway and resulting in what will be a months-long impact on travel.

The collapse occurred after a truck caught fire on the Route 73/Cottman Avenue ramp, causing the roadway to partially collapse and heavily damaging the southbound roadway, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a statement. Currently, the governor’s office said the southbound side “is not structurally sound to carry any traffic over it.”

“Interstate 95 is a critical artery that supports our economy and plays an important role in Pennsylvanians’ day-to-day lives. My administration is all hands on deck to repair this safely and as efficiently as possible,” Shapiro said in a statement. “We will rebuild and recover – and in the meantime, we will make sure people can get to where they need to go safely.”

Officials said it will take months to fully rebuild the highway, which runs north-to-south along the East Coast. In the meantime, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has set up detours to route travelers around the damaged road, which it has detailed on a special section of its website.

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How to Get Around the I-95 Collapse in Philadelphia — and What It Might Mean for Summer Travel
Fixing this section of interstate will take months.

By Alison Fox Published on June 12, 2023
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A warning sign is displayed, due to a collapsed portion of Interstate 95, caused by a large vehicle fire in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
PHOTO: KENA BETANCUR/GETTY IMAGES
A key section of the busy Interstate 95 in Philadelphia collapsed on Sunday, closing the highway and resulting in what will be a months-long impact on travel.


The collapse occurred after a truck caught fire on the Route 73/Cottman Avenue ramp, causing the roadway to partially collapse and heavily damaging the southbound roadway, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a statement. Currently, the governor’s office said the southbound side “is not structurally sound to carry any traffic over it.”


“Interstate 95 is a critical artery that supports our economy and plays an important role in Pennsylvanians’ day-to-day lives. My administration is all hands on deck to repair this safely and as efficiently as possible,” Shapiro said in a statement. “We will rebuild and recover – and in the meantime, we will make sure people can get to where they need to go safely.”

smoke rises from a collapsed section of the I-95 highway on June 11, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
CITY OF PHILADELPHIA OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT/GETTY IMAGES
Officials said it will take months to fully rebuild the highway, which runs north-to-south along the East Coast. In the meantime, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has set up detours to route travelers around the damaged road, which it has detailed on a special section of its website.


For travelers headed south, the Pennsylvania DOT recommends they take Route 63 West to U.S. 1 South to 76 East to 676 East. From 676 East, drivers can then get back on I-95 South. Travelers heading north can do the same route in reverse to bypass the closed section of the road.

But the road closure will no doubt have an impact on summer travel just as the country gears up for summer road trip season on the East Coast. To that end, Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg said travelers should “pay close attention” to traffic alerts “as we expect significant regional traffic impact.”

“This is a major artery for people and goods, and the closure will have significant impacts on the city and region until reconstruction and recovery are complete,” Buttigieg tweeted. “Our department will be there with support throughout the process of I-95 returning to normal.”

This summer is expected to be a busy one for travel with about 37 million Americans hitting the road over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, a 6 percent increase compared to last year.

A new study ranks the average wait times for getting through passport control and security at major U.S. airports.

When traveling through airports, it’s best practice to show up early to account for security queues and, when traveling internationally, passport control lines. Now, a new study by luggage storage company Bounce breaks down which U.S. airports have the longest (and shortest) wait times.

The study found that New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) has the longest overall wait times, with an average of 48 minutes and 24 seconds when combining security waits and passport control lines. JFK was followed by San Francisco International Airport (SFO), which had an average overall wait time of 47 minutes and 18 seconds, and Miami International Airport (MIA), with an average wait of 45 minutes and 54 seconds.

“Airport security and passport control play a crucial role in ensuring our safety while we travel, but we can’t deny that waiting in line can be frustrating and time-consuming, especially when you’re running on a tight schedule,” Bounce wrote in its study. “To help you plan ahead, the team at Bounce has delved into data to reveal which airports in the United States have the longest wait times, and which allow you to sail through security and passport control with ease.”

When it comes to security lines alone, Florida’s Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) took the cake with an average of 34 minutes and 6 seconds. (That said, the airport also had the shortest passport control wait times with an average of only 2 minutes and 36 seconds.) On the other end of the spectrum was another Florida airport: Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL), which had the longest average passport control wait times of 25 minutes and 54 seconds.

On average, New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), which also serves the greater New York City area, had the shortest security wait times at only 3 minutes and 6 seconds. EWR was followed by Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI), which had an average wait time of only 4 minutes.

Travelers hoping to get through airport lines faster can sign up for a trusted traveler program. This includes the likes of TSA PreCheck, which allows travelers to pass through airport security without having to take off their shoes, belts, or light jackets or having to remove laptops or liquids from their carry-on bags. Or Global Entry, which lets travelers use a separate kiosk to pass through customs.