Connecticut I-95 Odd Change of events and DISASTER

[ToolManTimTaylor]

The weird thing is THIS:



http://www.news12.com/CT/topstories/article?id=104093



Bridgeport officials on alert after receiving advisory from Homeland Security





(03/25/04) BRIDGEPORT - Authorities in Bridgeport are beefing up security Thursday after receiving an advisory from Homeland Security in Washington D. C.

State police will only say they received an intelligence advisory on Tuesday concerning the I-95 corridor in Bridgeport. They won't say if it pertains to a terrorist threat, however, they're not taking any chances.



Security has been increased at local ports including the Bridgeport Ferry. There was also a stepped up police presence at the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Harbor Yard.



The FBI also says it can't be specific about the Bridgeport advisory, but says it routinely receives information that's uncorroborated and non-specific.





THEN THIS:



http://www.news12.com/CT/topstories/article?id=104121







Oil tanker crash, explosion closes Interstate 95 in Bridgeport





(03/25/04) BRIDGEPORT - Authorities have closed a portion of Interstate 95 in Bridgeport after a crash involving an oil tanker. Officials say a diesel truck collided with a car around 7:45 Thursday night in the southbound lanes near exit 25. The crash set off an explosion and a fire as the tanker spilled some of its 9,000 gallons of fuel.



Police immediately closed both directions of I-95 between exits 25 and 26. Witnesses reported seeing flames shooting as high as 50 feet into the air. Fire crews from across Fairfield County were on scene to help control the massive blaze.



Authorities say the fire caused significant structural damage to the southbound lanes of I-95. Officials said it could be "some time" before the road can reopen.



No one was seriously injured in the collision and ensuing fire. Authorities say the tanker driver suffered minor injuries but was able to walk away from the scene.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Glad I don't have to go that way. What a nightmare.



Since this appears to have been accidental, could you imagine the potential. This might sound far fetched but perhaps we will see federal marshals riding shotgun on tankers.

 

[Philip]

Authorities say the fire caused significant structural damage to the southbound lanes

Does this mean they are going to start harassing the truckers again like they did after that bridge collapse on I95 in the early 80's.

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

Ten Bucks says I get Nabbed again LOL!!

(Bridgeport-AP Mar. 26, 2004 UPDATED 8:30 AM) _ Motorists who travel through the Bridgeport area can expect major problems for about two weeks.



A fiery tanker truck crash that melted a bridge and closed a mile-long stretch of interstate between New York and Boston will likely snarl traffic for up to two weeks, Gov. John G. Rowland said Friday.



The truck carrying 12,000 gallons of fuel oil collided with a car Thursday night, sparking a huge fire that severely damaged both sides of the overpass where the accident happened. The truck driver and a firefighter were slightly injured.



State troopers were still at the scene of the accident early Friday, and a cause was not immediately available.



Witnesses said they heard explosions and saw a gigantic fireball shoot into the sky. Traffic was backed up for miles in both directions on the stretch of highway that handles nearly 120,000 vehicles a day.



State police Sgt. J. Paul Vance said the northbound and southbound lanes between two exits in Bridgeport were to be closed indefinitely as engineers determine whether the overpass needs to be completely rebuilt.



"It's going to be a pain in the neck," Rowland said Friday morning after surveying the scene.



Rowland said that work to reopen the highway would begin immediately and was expected to take at least 12 to 14 days at a cost of $3 million to $4 million dollars. Rowland said he would declare a state of emergency, which would make the project eligible for some federal funding.



Art Greuhn, the chief engineer for the state Department of Transportation, said crews would begin Friday demolishing the southbound bridge, buckled by the intense heat.



The fire was so hot it damaged the steel support beams that carry both sides of the highway over an avenue, authorities said. The overpass, which was new, sagged several feet. "Once it sagged, it made a pool of burning fuel oil," said Wallace Thomas, Bridgeport's deputy fire chief. The fire was contained after nearly three hours.



Bridgeport Mayor John Fabrizi was expected to declare the highway a disaster area Friday morning, a first step toward receiving state aid. An estimate of the cost of the repairs was not immediately available.



The Merritt Parkway, which parallels I-95, was named as an alternate route, but commercial trucks are prohibited from using it because several bridges on the historic parkway are too low for some trucks.



State officials urged motorists, especially tractor-trailer drivers, to avoid I-95 and the Bridgeport area until the highway is fixed.



The truck's driver was treated at a hospital and released, and a firefighter who was overcome by fumes was hospitalized for observation.

<hr>

Man This is huge as This area DEPENDS on the I-95 Corridor for Shipping , Shuttle service , Medical , and is THE ONLY link to the Northeast from NYC. (Sure 84 works and the merritt)

 

[loncray]

Oh, man, I went thru that area last year going to a wedding - it was pretty heavy with traffic but flowed okay. This is gonna back things up for a couple of states!

 

[nixter]

Perhaps this sort of thing (if it wasn't an accident) is why CDL holders who also have a Hazmat endorsement will soon get Federal background checks. This is in additon to fingerprinting and we will need to be "bonded".



I can't wait to renew my license





Nixter

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

GRRRR

They had a news conference today and "It was a DERBY woman who had cut the truck off causing this unfortunate situation"



BRIDGEPORT (AP) -- State police say it appears that a tanker truck was cut off by car driven by a Derby woman just before it crashed and exploded, shutting down Interstate 95 in Bridgeport.



Governor Rowland says Connecticut motorists can expect major problems for several days that could stretch into weeks because of the shutdown. The tanker truck exploded into a fireball, melting a bridge.

 

[Sled Puller]

Right after 9/11, I was working on a road crew, by a major bridge. Everytime a tanker truck would go by, I would stop digging, and watch it.



"What are you doing?" Asked the other guys.



So I explained my paranoia.



After that, they ALL paused and watched the tankers go by!

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

The lady was probably yacking on her cell phone or eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or something equally stupid. I run about 100 miles of interstate each day and it's amazing the people that they let have licenses.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

As soon as I heard this story on the news I told myself it was probably some jerk driver driver who caused the whole thing and the trucker had nowhere to go. Luckily she survived so she could witness the horrific and very expensive disaster she singlehandedly caused.



Here are some pictures of the fire.



http://www.cyphergirl.com/cgi-php/gallery/jimmy-06?page=1

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

Those are from ANOTHER fire that happened 2 years ago. Same thing tho.

 

[PaulCreamer]

Whodaguessed?

"It was a DERBY woman who had cut the truck off causing this unfortunate situation" ToolManTimTaylor

This is gonna make my weekly trip to Providence a 2 day event.

Can't use the go-around both ways and do it in 11 hrs. :{

 

[HEMI®Dart]

Now is the Derby Women's Insurance or the Trucking companies insurance goin to pay for the clean-up and a new bridge?



It's probably going to be a 20 Million dollar bill?

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

The Wife's 11 minute commute so far has taken 1. 25 hours She even went the waaay out of the way ... . way and still is not home.

 

[JLEONARD]

A guy at our shop (Watertown) that lives in Trumbel got to work after 10 am this morning.....

Rt 8 N had a Jackknife tractor trailer.....

This issue has caused major traffic issues...

Jay

 

[Will24]

A friend of mine from Guilford, CT was headed home this weekend, I know he was worried about traffic, as he'd be going through there about 5pm

 

[QRTRHRS]

Originally posted by Philip

Does this mean they are going to start harassing the truckers again like they did after that bridge collapse on I95 in the early 80's.

As I recall, that trucker and a couple of four wheelers were not so lucky. I drove over that temporary span they put up. Kind of spooky!

 

[QRTRHRS]

Re: Whodaguessed?

Originally posted by PaulCreamer

This is gonna make my weekly trip to Providence a 2 day event.

Can't use the go-around both ways and do it in 11 hrs. :{

Lucky you Paul, I ran Providence for five days to get qualified on doubles. That run bites on a good day. With the HOS changes, our guy lost that run to Carlisle. I have to ask him if he is still upset about it.

 

[Bartlett]

The traffic is going to be unbelievable in that area if it wasnt already. So glad i moved from fairfield county. Used to get off 25n everyday to get to monroe. Became proficient at manuvering the HD to avoid being road kill. I hope they can fix the bridge quicker than the one down in Shelton.

 

[Philip]

As I recall, that trucker and a couple of four wheelers were not so lucky. I drove over that temporary span they put up. Kind of spooky!

Yes it was bad when the span went down.



But it was what CT did after it went down. They set up a set of scales at the first toll booth. If you did not have a CT base plate on your truck. You got a ticket for something before you got off the scales. I went into the state a week after it went down. It took the chicken coop people 45 minutes of looking the truck over to find a safety writeup. In case you haven't been inspected before. Most inspections do not last more than 15 minutes or the ones I have been threw didn't.



In the two hours I was at that set of scales. I did not see a non CT base plate truck leave the scales without a ticket. No one was bypassed ether. The line for the scales went into NY about 4 miles. I did not accept anymore loads to CT after that s#$%.