By John Schwing
NORWALK — The span over Interstate 95, damaged by a fiery truck crash early Thursday, will be torn down and the stretch of highway near Exit 15 must be repaved, requiring closure of the busy corridor at least through Monday.
Gov. Ned Lamont announced the extended closure of the regional stretch of I-95 late Thursday afternoon in the aftermath of day-long travel chaos on local roads — including Westport’s — as drivers searched for alternate routes around the crash site.
Traffic is being routed off I-95 at southbound Exit 16 in Norwalk and off northbound Exit 13 in Darien to avoid the crash site.
The tanker-truck accident took place near Exit 15 in Norwalk, just as Thursday morning’s commute was underway. The bridge carries Norwalk’s Fairfield Avenue over the highway.
No casualties were reported.
Not only were major thoroughfares through Westport, such as the Post Road and Merritt Parkway, clogged throughout the day, but heavy car and truck traffic spilled over onto local streets and roads through neighborhoods.
Westport police, in a traffic advisory issued early Thursday evening, warned of continuing traffic woes: “Over the course of the next few days, the local roads in Westport will continue to be severely affected with increased vehicular traffic. We are urging anyone who does not need to travel to stay off the roads.
“If you need to travel, please give yourself extra time and be patient,” police said.
Officials suggest that people who need to pass through the affected region consider using Metro-North Railroad as an alternative.
Anticipating local roads will continue to be heavily congested for several days, Supt. of Schools Thomas Scarice is urging parents not to drop off or pick up students to help limit disruptions to school schedules.
Instead, he suggests that students rely on transportation provided by the town’s fleet of school buses, which are obligated to run regardless.
In an email, Scarice wrote: “I encourage families to utilize the First View Bus Tracking App to assist in determining exact pick up and drop off times. This will help in managing schedules impacted by expected bus delays. Please follow this link for app access and instructions.”
Neighboring Norwalk canceled all Friday classes.
For updates on the I-95 reconstruction project, check the CTRoads website.
I realize tolls are a contentious issue for some, but CT is the only state that doesn’t collect tolls on the eastern seaboard. All of the commercial vehicles and out of state drivers get a free pass when driving through the state, adding insult to injury.
You remember what specific event caused the tolls to be removed? Hint: it rhymes with “fiery truck crash”.
Mr. Boyd, I certainly do remember that crash. It appears the majority of “modern” tolls are paid through EZ Pass systems and the like. So now we have another fiery truck crash. Wouldn’t tolls assist in funding infrastructure repairs?
Maybe a good idea, maybe not so much for Westporters…
CTDOT issued a map of potential gantry sites in 2018.
https://yankeeinstitute.org/2018/11/15/new-ctdot-study-calls-for-82-tolling-gantries-on-connecticut-highways/
Check the accompanying map.
It seems to me that they are perfectly sited to maximize the number of toll avoiders who would hop off I-95 onto our local roads.
Replace the Cribari Bridge with one that allows trucks, and we would pay for it in traffic, COPD, childhood asthma while Hartford collects the money.
Put the tolls at the exits, like some states do.
Susan, from your post to God’s ear… now how would you suggest he (or she) get that wisdom to CTDOT?