An accident involving a car and a tanker truck has left a portion of I-95 at Bridgeport, CT, closed, according to state and media reports.
The accident, which took place between exits 25 and 26 near Route 8, created a fire so intense that it melted a portion of the bridge. State officials estimate 10 days before the highway is open, but some placed the estimates longer.
The route is a major East Coast corridor; that particular section links the heavily populated New York City and Boston metropolitan areas.
State officials have urged that tractor-trailers avoid I-95 and the Bridgeport area until the highway is fixed, The Associated Press reported. DOT officials told Land Line that because of other situations that had developed, they were recommending that trucks avoid the western portion of Connecticut altogether.
The state's Department of Transportation has a number of alternate route suggestions on its Web Site:
- For truckers who are heading toward the region and want to avoid passing through the affected area entirely, go to http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=11&q=272644.
- For those who are in or near the affected area and need to bypass the immediate site of the accident, go to http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?Q=272634&A=11.
In addition, the state has put a series of overweight and oversize restrictions into place because of the accident. No permits will be issued for travel on any route west of I-91, the DOT said on its Web site. For information on specific restrictions, go to http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?Q=272632&A=11. Previously issued permits in the areas listed on the Web site are now void.
The DOT said that information may change as repair efforts move ahead. For updated information, go to the DOT's home page, www.ct.gov/dot.
The accident occurred when the fuel tanker, carrying about 9,000 gallons of home heating fuel, jackknifed and was hit by a car, The New York Times reported. State officials placed the time of the accident as 7:45 p.m. March 25.
The AP reported that the fire made the bridge sag, which allowed the remaining fuel oil to pool in the center of the bridge, where it continued to burn.
