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Six years ago, when a portion of I-85 collapsed in Atlanta, Georgia officials thought it'd take several months to repair. It ended up taking just 43 days.

Why it matters: Even though the rebuilding of Philly’s I-95 is expected to take several months, the Atlanta collapse could offer a roadmap to reopen the road ASAP.

How it worked: Georgia officials cut red tape and sped up a project that was first estimated to take three to six months.

Immediately, $10 million in federal funds were authorized to repair 350 feet of lanes in both directions.

Georgia put up about $3 million in bonuses for the contractor to incentivize early completion.

Good weather also helped, the state later reflected. Workers were only rained out one day.

Yes, but: The I-95 rebuild got more complicated Monday, when Pennsylvania officials revealed that the highway's southbound lanes were compromised and must be demolished.

Flashback: Georgia's I-85 went out of commission in March of 2017 after a man allegedly set fire to a chair beneath an overpass. No casualties occurred, but the National Transportation Safety Board determined that Georgia's transportation department was partly at fault for storing flammable plastic pipes that ignited under the bridge.

The man, Basil Eleby, who was homeless at the time, faced arson charges that were later dropped when he was admitted to a diversion program, according to WSB.

The day after the fire, then-Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and state transportation leaders were on the phone with then-Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, recalled Chris Riley, who served as Deal's chief of staff at the time.

Between the lines: The contractor's early completion bonus "was the key," Riley told Axios, helping the project move "at the speed of the private sector."

Georgia officials cut some red tape too, Riley said, including waiving standard procurement timelines and labor regulations regarding work hours.

Fulton County subsidized metro fares for employees commuting while the interstate was closed, and the state identified alternative routes and commute options.

Dan Garcia, president of C.W. Matthews, the contractor, told 11Alive in 2017 the timeline was "unprecedented." They deployed seven bridge crews during the day, six at night and used a more expensive, faster-drying concrete mixture as well, he said.

In Pennsylvania, Gov. Josh Shapiro has taken similar measures to speed up the process. He signed a disaster declaration yesterday that paved the way for access to federal funding and freed up $7 million in state funds for the project.

Plus, the edict helps to "cut through the red tape" by eliminating procurement requirements, Shapiro said.

What they're saying: A PennDot spokesperson told Axios that he didn't know if Pennsylvania officials would talk with Georgia officials about any lessons learned from I-85.

The Georgia Department of Transportation declined to comment on any comparisons to the incidents "out of respect to our colleagues in Pennsylvania who have this situation well in hand."

The bottom line: Riley has a message for Pennsylvania officials: "It's not doom and gloom! There is hope. There is a way. Georgia is an example to follow."

Atlanta

A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Atlanta. Written by Kristal Dixon and Thomas Wheatley.

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Atlanta's speedy bridge collapse fix offers roadmap for Philly's I-95

Georgia completed repairs way ahead of schedule after a collapse on I-85 in 2016.

A collapsed section of the bridge is in the background, with smoke damaged foreground

Workers clear debris Monday. Photo: Mark Makela/Getty Images

Six years ago, when a portion of I-85 collapsed in Atlanta, Georgia officials thought it&#x27;d take several months to repair. It ended up taking just 43 days.Why it matters: Even though the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="rebuilding of Philly’s I-95" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia/2023/06/12/i-95-collapse-highway-fire-detours" data-vars-content-id="92b98c79-886d-4ddd-b9a7-6949df512ec4" data-vars-headline="Atlanta&#x27;s speedy bridge collapse fix offers roadmap for Philly&#x27;s I-95" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia/2023/06/12/i-95-collapse-highway-fire-detours" target="_self">rebuilding of Philly’s I-95</a> is expected to take several months, the Atlanta collapse could offer a roadmap to reopen the road ASAP.

News

Philadelphia has joined a bidding war among a number of states and cities interested in housing the headquarters of a multibillion dollar new science agency aimed at curing major diseases.

Why it matters: The Advanced Research Project Agency for Health, or ARPA-H, is a pet project of President Biden's that would focus on breakthrough health care and technology innovations, looking for and funding ways to cure cancer, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes and more, Axios Atlanta's Emma Hurt writes.

State of play: While ARPA-H's director would report to the secretary of Health and Human Services, the agency's structure remains undecided beyond that. 

The House passed a bill in June to establish it as a stand-alone agency, but the Senate has yet to take up the matter.

The big picture: A Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) spokesperson told Axios they "have made no commitments as to the physical location of ARPA-H," and that the decision will be up to the agency's inaugural director and the HHS secretary.

Meanwhile, states and cities including Georgia, North Carolina, Texas and Cleveland have made or plan to make their cases to the department.

Zoom in: The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia announced a regional effort last week to attract the ARPA-H to the area, citing its "deep scientific and medical ecosystem" and "expertise in cell and gene therapy and gene editing."

More than 80 regional leaders — from elected officials to CEOs — signed a letter outlining why the agency should be housed here, including Mayor Jim Kenney, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia CEO Madeline Bell, Wawa CEO Chris Gheysens and Temple and Drexel university presidents.

Between the lines: The chamber also noted that Philadelphia ranks among the top life sciences markets in the U.S.

A report published last month by CBRE, an investment management firm, put the Philadelphia area at No. 8 in its ranking of life sciences clusters, based on cities' jobs, local wages, cost of living and other factors. 

The New York/New Jersey area ranked fourth, with Boston/Cambridge holding the top spot.

What they're saying: In its letter, the chamber touts the tri-state region's "world-class research institutions" and its headquarters for biopharmaceutical leaders, such as Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca and Merck.

"We feel that Greater Philadelphia's position as a global hub of research, talent, capital, and companies, combined with its second-to-none accessibility, give this region the power to forever transform how health care is delivered to patients and essentially cure the incurable," the letter states.

Philadelphia area seeks to attract new federal science agency HQ

More than 80 regional leaders — from elected officials to CEOs — signed a letter outlining why the agency should be housed in Greater Philadelphia.

Illustration of a hand holding a microscope slide with a liquid sample forming a dollar sign.

Health care

Philadelphia has joined <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a bidding war" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/07/06/the-national-bidding-war-for-arpa-h?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosvitals&amp;stream=top" data-vars-content-id="b9d523bf-d3cb-4f97-9344-9a28533fd905" data-vars-headline="Philadelphia area seeks to attract new federal science agency HQ" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/07/06/the-national-bidding-war-for-arpa-h?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosvitals&amp;stream=top" target="_self">a bidding war</a> among a number of states and cities interested in housing the headquarters of a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="multibillion dollar new science agency" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/03/01/biden-to-announce-unity-agenda-around-cancer" data-vars-content-id="b9d523bf-d3cb-4f97-9344-9a28533fd905" data-vars-headline="Philadelphia area seeks to attract new federal science agency HQ" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/03/01/biden-to-announce-unity-agenda-around-cancer" target="_self">multibillion dollar new science agency</a> aimed at curing major diseases.Why it matters: The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Advanced Research Project Agency for Health" data-vars-click-url="https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R47074.pdf" data-vars-content-id="b9d523bf-d3cb-4f97-9344-9a28533fd905" data-vars-headline="Philadelphia area seeks to attract new federal science agency HQ" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R47074.pdf" target="_blank">Advanced Research Project Agency for Health</a>, or ARPA-H, is a pet project of President Biden&#x27;s that would focus on breakthrough health care and technology innovations, looking for and funding ways to cure cancer, Alzheimer&#x27;s disease, diabetes and more, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Axios Atlanta&#x27;s Emma Hurt writes" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/07/06/the-national-bidding-war-for-arpa-h?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosvitals&amp;stream=top" data-vars-content-id="b9d523bf-d3cb-4f97-9344-9a28533fd905" data-vars-headline="Philadelphia area seeks to attract new federal science agency HQ" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/07/06/the-national-bidding-war-for-arpa-h?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosvitals&amp;stream=top" target="_self">Axios Atlanta&#x27;s Emma Hurt writes</a>.

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Business

For Rosh Hashanah, Philadelphia's star Israeli American chef Michael Solomonov has one go-to staple: his late mother's coffee-braised brisket recipe. 

Catch up quick: Solomonov, who was born in G'nei Yehuda, Israel, and raised in Pittsburgh, has won three James Beard Foundation Awards and authored three cookbooks with his business partner Steve Cook.  

Their flagship restaurant Zahav, which opened in 2008, was the first Israeli food and the first Philadelphia restaurant to win the James Beard for outstanding restaurant.

And their culinary empire has grown to include Philly's Federal Donuts, which is eyeing a mid-Atlantic expansion. 

They also run Philly's Dizengoff, Goldie, Lilah, K'Far and Laser Wolf. The latter two also have New York locations.

My Mom's Coffee-Braised Brisket, by Michael Solomonov

1 1⁄2 tablespoons ground black cardamom 

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt 

Mix the ground coffee, cardamom, black cardamom, and salt in a small bowl and rub into the brisket. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 475°F. Set a rack inside a roasting pan. Put the brisket on the rack and roast until the exterior has browned, about 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F.

Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onions, carrots, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook until it reduces slightly, about 2 more minutes.

Transfer the vegetables to the roasting pan with the rack removed. Add the brisket, dried apricots, brewed coffee, and eggs in their shells. Add enough water to bring the liquid halfway up the side of the brisket.

Cover the pan tightly with two layers of foil, return to the oven, and braise for 1 hour. Remove the eggs, gently tap them all over to make a network of small cracks, and return them to the braise. Continue cooking until the brisket shreds easily with a fork, about 3 more hours. Let the brisket cool in its braising liquid, then refrigerate overnight.

To serve, preheat the oven to 350°F. Slice the cold brisket, return to the braising liquid, and bake until warmed through, about 30 minutes. Spoon the broth over the meat. Serve with the peeled eggs and grated fresh horseradish.

Israeli American chef Michael Solomonov's go-to Rosh Hashanah brisket recipe

The James Beard-winning chef behind Philly's Zahav restaurant was born in G'nei Yehuda, Israel.

My Mom's Coffee-Braised Brisket from "Zahav," by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook. Photo: Michael Persico

For Rosh Hashanah, Philadelphia&#x27;s star Israeli American chef Michael Solomonov has one go-to staple: his late mother&#x27;s coffee-braised brisket recipe. Catch up quick: Solomonov, who was born in G&#x27;nei Yehuda, Israel, and raised in Pittsburgh, has won three James Beard Foundation Awards and authored three cookbooks with his business partner Steve Cook.

Emma Hurt

Featured stories

Israeli American chef Michael Solomonov's go-to Rosh Hashanah brisket recipe

Atlanta's speedy bridge collapse fix offers roadmap for Philly's I-95

Philadelphia area seeks to attract new federal science agency HQ