NORWALK, Conn. — Interstate 95 reopened in both directions Sunday in Norwalk, Connecticut, days after a tanker truck caught fire and badly damaged a bridge.
The northbound lanes reopened Saturday, and Gov. Ned Lamont announced the highway would fully reopen around 10 a.m. Sunday.
“It is truly amazing that in less than 80 hours from that fiery crash Thursday that shut down traffic in both directions, the highway again is fully open,” Lamont said in a statement.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation shared a photo on social media showing the work that had been done in the past 24 hours.
“It takes a village, and from the response from local and state police and fire departments to the environmental cleanup by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the demolition and rebuilding by the Connecticut Department of Transportation and contractors, everyone did their part,” the governor’s statement continued. “I am impressed by these efforts and thankful for the dedication, skill, and labor of everyone who has been involved.”
Chain-reaction crash leads to massive tanker fire
Early Thursday morning, authorities said a car swerved in front of truck pulling a flatbed trailer, which then swerved to avoid the car and struck the back of a fuel tanker. The fuel tanker burst into flames under the Fairfield Avenue overpass, spilling thousands of gallons of fuel onto the highway.
Firefighters and hazmat crews responded to contain the flames and the spill, and officials said testing revealed no impact on air or water quality in the area.
The bridge, however, was badly damaged and had to be demolished. DOT crews spent the past few days working to remove the bridge and repair the roadway.
I-95 was shut down in both directions for commuters Thursday and Friday, causing major traffic headaches and residual delays on the Merritt Parkway, I-84 and I-87.
Fairfield Avenue is expected to remain closed for at least a year while the overpass is replaced.
State of emergency in CT
Lamont declared a state of emergency after the crash, saying the impacted stretch of highway serves 160,000 vehicles per day.
Drivers received text alerts to avoid I-95, and trucking companies were told to use I-87 and I-84 instead. Schools were closed Friday in Norwalk, and people were encouraged to work from home.
“I worry about supply chain issues,” the governor said last week. “I think it will definitely impact the local merchants.”
CBS New York spoke with local business owners who said traffic was down heading into the weekend. Sen. Richard Blumenthal is looking into loans that could be available for them.
Meanwhile, state officials estimate the cost to repair and reopen the highway could exceed $20 million.