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I-95 apparently completely shut down in parts of NC

Started by epzik8, April 26, 2017, 05:00:19 PM

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epzik8

Anyone know anything about I-95 being closed in parts of North Carolina? My mom told me she had to take a detour back to Maryland because they were directing everyone off I-95 at Fayetteville or something.
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Kniwt

If it was Sunday night, it was probably this:
http://wncn.com/2017/04/23/crash-closes-parts-of-i-95-north-of-fayetteville/

QuoteFAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) – Traffic was backed up for miles while Interstate 95 was closed for several hours north of Fayetteville on Sunday evening.

A vehicle crash around 4:10 p.m. closed all I-95 lanes heading north near exit 65, which is NC Highway 82/North West Street, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Strider

Quote from: Kniwt on April 26, 2017, 05:05:47 PM
If it was Sunday night, it was probably this:
http://wncn.com/2017/04/23/crash-closes-parts-of-i-95-north-of-fayetteville/

QuoteFAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) – Traffic was backed up for miles while Interstate 95 was closed for several hours north of Fayetteville on Sunday evening.

A vehicle crash around 4:10 p.m. closed all I-95 lanes heading north near exit 65, which is NC Highway 82/North West Street, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.



Dang.. that backup.. The feds need to get the funding to widen I-95 ASAP.

froggie

A wider I-95 would have been just as shut down as the current one...

rickmastfan67

Quote from: froggie on April 26, 2017, 10:08:58 PM
A wider I-95 would have been just as shut down as the current one...

True, but they might have at least been able to get either 1 lane or use the shoulder to at least start clearing the backup well before 4 hours.

Strider

Quote from: froggie on April 26, 2017, 10:08:58 PM
A wider I-95 would have been just as shut down as the current one...


Nope. not if it is widened to 8 lanes.

LM117

Quote from: rickmastfan67 on April 26, 2017, 11:15:58 PM
Quote from: froggie on April 26, 2017, 10:08:58 PM
A wider I-95 would have been just as shut down as the current one...

True, but they might have at least been able to get either 1 lane or use the shoulder to at least start clearing the backup well before 4 hours.

This. I-95 desperately needs widened.
“I don’t know whether to wind my ass or scratch my watch!” - Jim Cornette

froggie

If it was a bad enough crash, proper emergency management would shut down the highway regardless of the number of lanes.  Even if they kept one lane (or the shoulder) open, you'd have still had significant bottleneck.

Segments of I-95 may need widening (and I did an analysis of such a couple months ago), but uncommon crashes like this are *NOT* the reason why.

Henry

Quote from: froggie on April 27, 2017, 07:21:54 AM
Segments of I-95 may need widening (and I did an analysis of such a couple months ago), but uncommon crashes like this are *NOT* the reason why.
While the southern half of I-95 is more rural than its northern counterpart, I think widening it would be a very worthy cause, especially for those who drive from anywhere between Boston and Washington to FL (and vice versa).
Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go! Hey Chicago, what do you say? The Cubs are gonna win today!

jeffandnicole

Quote from: Henry on April 27, 2017, 10:03:48 AM
Quote from: froggie on April 27, 2017, 07:21:54 AM
Segments of I-95 may need widening (and I did an analysis of such a couple months ago), but uncommon crashes like this are *NOT* the reason why.
While the southern half of I-95 is more rural than its northern counterpart, I think widening it would be a very worthy cause, especially for those who drive from anywhere between Boston and Washington to FL (and vice versa).

So, widen it for approximately 5% of the users of the highway based on what they're used to in their home states?

Brian556

No matter how many lanes, the cops would shut them all down whether they really needed to or not. They do this all the time and its complete BS.

plain

I have seen the Powhite Pkwy over the James River completely shut down on one side before... and this is a TEN lane segment...
Newark born, Richmond bred

sparker

Quote from: jeffandnicole on April 27, 2017, 01:07:50 PM
Quote from: Henry on April 27, 2017, 10:03:48 AM
Quote from: froggie on April 27, 2017, 07:21:54 AM
Segments of I-95 may need widening (and I did an analysis of such a couple months ago), but uncommon crashes like this are *NOT* the reason why.
While the southern half of I-95 is more rural than its northern counterpart, I think widening it would be a very worthy cause, especially for those who drive from anywhere between Boston and Washington to FL (and vice versa).

So, widen it for approximately 5% of the users of the highway based on what they're used to in their home states?

This comprises a large portion of the reason that NC has been prioritizing new regional Interstate corridors rather than putting effort into a capacity enhancement of I-95.  The perception that I-95, like US 301 before it, functions primarily for the benefit of inter-state commercial/"snowbird" traffic rather than a local server; as long as that perception persists within both public & private circles of influence, 95 will likely remain in its present condition.     

jeffandnicole

Quote from: Brian556 on April 27, 2017, 05:09:20 PM
No matter how many lanes, the cops would shut them all down whether they really needed to or not. They do this all the time and its complete BS.

I will say NJ does a pretty good job at keeping highways open.  Listening to a traffic report for PA and NJ at the same time, PA will close the roads for things like vehicle fires, while NJ keeps traffic running, even if it's on or off the paved shoulder.  Heading to work one cold winter morning, a fatal occurred on the highway where a car came from the SB lanes, cross over the wide grassy median, and hit a car on the NB lanes.  The police had traffic going down into the median and back up again to get around the scene; doable because of how frozen the median dirt/grass was.  It wasn't a fast trip by far, but at least traffic was getting by.


Brian556

Quote from Jeffand Nicole:
QuoteI will say NJ does a pretty good job at keeping highways open.  Listening to a traffic report for PA and NJ at the same time, PA will close the roads for things like vehicle fires, while NJ keeps traffic running, even if it's on or off the paved shoulder.  Heading to work one cold winter morning, a fatal occurred on the highway where a car came from the SB lanes, cross over the wide grassy median, and hit a car on the NB lanes.  The police had traffic going down into the median and back up again to get around the scene; doable because of how frozen the median dirt/grass was.  It wasn't a fast trip by far, but at least traffic was getting by.

Consider yourself lucky to live in an area with reasonable law enforcement.

Once, somebody ran off the road and struck an excavator in a field 75 feet off the road. Cops shut down the road even though the accident was 75 ft off the road, and the driver was already dead. They did traffic control extremely half assed, only tiny cones at either end of the road, no cop cars st the point of closure.

Also, the other day, some idiot tried to run across the freeway at night and was hit. His body was found wedged between 2 concrete walls in the median hours later. Cops shut down the interstate for hours, screwing over hundreds of drivers unnecessarily.

I'm just tired of the cops attitude being "fuck everybody, we own the road"

They need to remember that the tax paying public owns the road, not them.




noelbotevera

Quote from: jeffandnicole on April 28, 2017, 06:15:50 AM
Quote from: Brian556 on April 27, 2017, 05:09:20 PM
No matter how many lanes, the cops would shut them all down whether they really needed to or not. They do this all the time and its complete BS.

I will say NJ does a pretty good job at keeping highways open.  Listening to a traffic report for PA and NJ at the same time, PA will close the roads for things like vehicle fires, while NJ keeps traffic running, even if it's on or off the paved shoulder.  Heading to work one cold winter morning, a fatal occurred on the highway where a car came from the SB lanes, cross over the wide grassy median, and hit a car on the NB lanes.  The police had traffic going down into the median and back up again to get around the scene; doable because of how frozen the median dirt/grass was.  It wasn't a fast trip by far, but at least traffic was getting by.
Then again, in my area we also seem to keep highways open. About a week ago, I had to go up to Carlisle to meet a psychologist, and heading home, there was an accident. Four cars, two flipped upside down, other two crashed into each other in the NB lanes. Now, the accident happened only minutes ago (no police/ambulance present yet, but people left their cars in order to help whoever survived by parking in the median), and the NB lanes suffered a bottleneck, but the SB lanes were kept open. It took us about 10 minutes to clear the congestion and scene of the accident.

Also, how does a car set on fire? Do people really smoke inside their cars? I can understand if it's an engine issue (in which case they should've gone to a mechanic), but smoking on top of flammable seats?

Pink Jazz


Quote from: sparker on April 28, 2017, 05:22:06 AM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on April 27, 2017, 01:07:50 PM
Quote from: Henry on April 27, 2017, 10:03:48 AM
Quote from: froggie on April 27, 2017, 07:21:54 AM
Segments of I-95 may need widening (and I did an analysis of such a couple months ago), but uncommon crashes like this are *NOT* the reason why.
While the southern half of I-95 is more rural than its northern counterpart, I think widening it would be a very worthy cause, especially for those who drive from anywhere between Boston and Washington to FL (and vice versa).

So, widen it for approximately 5% of the users of the highway based on what they're used to in their home states?

This comprises a large portion of the reason that NC has been prioritizing new regional Interstate corridors rather than putting effort into a capacity enhancement of I-95.  The perception that I-95, like US 301 before it, functions primarily for the benefit of inter-state commercial/"snowbird" traffic rather than a local server; as long as that perception persists within both public & private circles of influence, 95 will likely remain in its present condition.   


I wouldn't even call I-95 NC's most important Interstate.  That honor probably goes to I-85, since I-85 serves most of the urban areas of NC.

jeffandnicole

Quote from: noelbotevera on April 28, 2017, 10:51:38 PM
Also, how does a car set on fire? Do people really smoke inside their cars? I can understand if it's an engine issue (in which case they should've gone to a mechanic), but smoking on top of flammable seats?

Of course they smoke inside their vehicles all the time.  Then they flick the ashes and butt out the window.  Not only can a mis-flick fly back into their car into the back seat, but it can hit another vehicle as well.

Mechanical is probably the most frequent type of fire though.  Saw a decent one a few weeks ago where you couldn't even really tell it was a car until you were on top of it! (295...this was one where the shoulder at least remained open while they put out the fire)

jeffandnicole

Quote from: Brian556 on April 28, 2017, 10:36:31 PM
Quote from Jeffand Nicole:
QuoteI will say NJ does a pretty good job at keeping highways open.  Listening to a traffic report for PA and NJ at the same time, PA will close the roads for things like vehicle fires, while NJ keeps traffic running, even if it's on or off the paved shoulder.  Heading to work one cold winter morning, a fatal occurred on the highway where a car came from the SB lanes, cross over the wide grassy median, and hit a car on the NB lanes.  The police had traffic going down into the median and back up again to get around the scene; doable because of how frozen the median dirt/grass was.  It wasn't a fast trip by far, but at least traffic was getting by.

Consider yourself lucky to live in an area with reasonable law enforcement.

Once, somebody ran off the road and struck an excavator in a field 75 feet off the road. Cops shut down the road even though the accident was 75 ft off the road, and the driver was already dead. They did traffic control extremely half assed, only tiny cones at either end of the road, no cop cars st the point of closure.

Also, the other day, some idiot tried to run across the freeway at night and was hit. His body was found wedged between 2 concrete walls in the median hours later. Cops shut down the interstate for hours, screwing over hundreds of drivers unnecessarily.

I'm just tired of the cops attitude being "fuck everybody, we own the road"

They need to remember that the tax paying public owns the road, not them.





During a snowstorm a few years back, one of our DOT plow vehicles (from the DOT yard I work at) was smashed into by a tractor trailer.  The 3 travel lanes were closed with the tractor trailer across all 3 lanes...but as you see in the video, the shoulder remained open.

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/breaking/Salt-Truck-Crash-Paulsboro-289412241.html




froggie

They probably considered that it was safe to route traffic onto the shoulder.  The on scene commander (who's usually an EMT or 1st responder with training in scene management) probably made that call.  But if the OSC deems it unsafe (whether to traffic or to emergency responders) to keep traffic moving through the scene, they have the right and the duty to shut down the highway.

jeffandnicole

I've seen it once on the net and I'll have to look for it again, but NJDOT had a whole book on incident scenes and what should be done based on the situation. It is mentioned that keeping the road open is a high priority if everyone can safely manage the incident otherwise. (In other words, don't close the highway just because some guy has a powertrip.

kalvado

Quote from: froggie on April 29, 2017, 10:42:21 AM
They probably considered that it was safe to route traffic onto the shoulder.  The on scene commander (who's usually an EMT or 1st responder with training in scene management) probably made that call.  But if the OSC deems it unsafe (whether to traffic or to emergency responders) to keep traffic moving through the scene, they have the right and the duty to shut down the highway.
Yes, but it may be about "is it possible to open something? - then open it!" vs "lets keep it closed - just in case".
My impression is that at least in some cases they close the road not because it is unavoidable, but because they don't really care.

jwolfer

#22
The hours on end road closures are usually horrific accident scenes.
Or semi trucks that lose their load.. Its comical when its something like adult toys strewn across a highway.

Or when a bridge or roadway is damaged

Worst i experienced was a log truck that lost load at the 10/95 merger near downtown Jacksonville in the morning rush hour about 15 years ago. It made my 10 minute commute 2 hours. Everyone was late, sadly a man who worked there had said logs fall on his company car and kill him. Being late didnt seem that bad


LGMS428

Avalanchez71


jeffandnicole

Here's one of NJDOT's Incident Guideline manuals.  It frequently mentions the needs of emergency responders, along with the needs to keep traffic moving.  Section 7 is specifically devoted to traffic control: http://cait.rutgers.edu/system/files/u10/way_Incident_Traffic_Safety_Guidelines_Final.pdf



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