I 77 Gas Explosion

[US12]

The was a massive gas explosion 10 miles north of Charleston along I 77. I 77 is closed at the I 79 split and I 79 south is closed at Tuppers Creek exit.
http://jalopnik.com/5967574/an-incredibly-massive-explosion-has-set-the-highway-on-fire-in-west-virginia

[agentsteel53]

so, who ordered the white guide sign?

[formulanone]

Yikes!

https://twitter.com/countrygirl689/status/278587986340360192/photo/1/large

(Tree'd by one second? Thanks, 3G connection.)

[Big John]

so, who ordered the white guide sign?

And violated the negative contrast rule of Clearview signs.

[SP Cook]

Interstate closed for at least 2 days.  Country Route 21 (the old US 21) was undamaged but is being used by emergency vehicles only right now, and will become the detour later today.  It is a two lane road. 

While there are back roads being used as a detour, best to avoid the area on a "continental basis" according to news media.  Which would mean things like I-79 to US 50, which is about a 90 mile detour.

[SP Cook]

WV DOT Secretary (who is a PE) describes the asphalt as having been "baked" and the guardrail as having been "liquified".    Section will have to be scraped down to the original (this section was built in the mid-60s) concrete and resurfaced.  All of the asphalt plants in this part of the world have shut down for the winter, save one, wich is about 30 miles away.  New guardrails, and the posts, as well.  Plus the signage pictured above. 

Its a mess.

[Alex]

WV DOT Secretary (who is a PE) describes the asphalt as having been "baked" and the guardrail as having been "liquified".    Section will have to be scraped down to the original (this section was built in the mid-60s) concrete and resurfaced.  All of the asphalt plants in this part of the world have shut down for the winter, save one, wich is about 30 miles away.  New guardrails, and the posts, as well.  Plus the signage pictured above. 

Its a mess.

With all the advance signs WVDOT posts, I am sure the lack of a half mile panel will not be a huge issue.



And resurfacing was underway in that area when we passed by in September 2010. How long of a stretch needs to be repaired?
When I-4 was closed east of Lakeland on January 9, 2008, due to a car pile-up and subsequent fire, damage resulted in the need to resurface 650 feet of pavement.

[Beltway]

So how did it happen that a natural gas pipeline happened to break right an Interstate highway?  No explanation in that article.

[dfilpus]

So how did it happen that a natural gas pipeline happened to break right an Interstate highway?  No explanation in that article.

The article said it was a gas well head that exploded halfway between the interstate and old US 21. The pipeline from the well ran under the interstate. In aerial video, you can see where the explosion occurred with subsequent explosions across the interstate.

[hbelkins]

When did they replace the button copy with that Clearview? Granted it's been a few years since I was on I-77, but I remember button copy north of I-79 up to about Ravenswood.

[KEVIN_224]

Wow! First that big explosion on the south side of Indianapolis around Veteran's Day, then the explosion in Springfield, MA on Black Friday...and now this? Should my grandmother still convert her Connecticut home to natural gas? I'm now having second thoughts.

[Alex]

When did they replace the button copy with that Clearview? Granted it's been a few years since I was on I-77, but I remember button copy north of I-79 up to about Ravenswood.

All signs from Exit 106 until Exit 146 were done in Clearview by September 2010. Signs at Exit 146 and northward were still in button copy.

[Strider]

holy cow. hope the families in that area are safe.... oh my goodness.

[mukade]

Wow! First that big explosion on the south side of Indianapolis around Veteran's Day, then the explosion in Springfield, MA on Black Friday...and now this? Should my grandmother still convert her Connecticut home to natural gas? I'm now having second thoughts.

Of course the Indianapolis incident was not an accident. Natural gas has many more postives than negatives.

[agentsteel53]

Yikes!

https://twitter.com/countrygirl689/status/278587986340360192/photo/1/large

(Tree'd by one second? Thanks, 3G connection.)

"tree'd"?

[formulanone]

Yikes!

https://twitter.com/countrygirl689/status/278587986340360192/photo/1/large

(Tree'd by one second? Thanks, 3G connection.)

"tree'd"?

To post before another noticed someone else posted the same thing. Used more often in car-forums, as it means one reaction time was quicker than another, such as a "christmas tree" is used in drag racing.

http://www.staginglight.com/guide/react.html

Guess that term isn't used much on other boards, but ninja'd might be the closest thing to it.

[ShawnP]

I love the smell of toasted Interstate in the morning.

[Henry]

It's amazing how an entire Interstate can be wiped out like that!

[nwi_navigator_1181]

It's amazing how an entire Interstate can be wiped out like that!

...and can be restored to drivable conditions in one night. Overnight work was done to resurface the scorched section of interstate, and I-77 opened to both directions as early as 8am, according to this article.

http://dailymail.com/News/breakingnews/201212120028

Way to snap into action to minimize closing time. Kudos.

[Sonic99]

Now THAT is how you do road repairs!! Way to go to all parties responsible! I'm not local to your area, but I heard about this yesterday and can't believe they fixed it that fast.

[Alps]

It's amazing how an entire Interstate can be wiped out like that!

...and can be restored to drivable conditions in one night. Overnight work was done to resurface the scorched section of interstate, and I-77 opened to both directions as early as 8am, according to this article.

http://dailymail.com/News/breakingnews/201212120028

Way to snap into action to minimize closing time. Kudos.

That was pretty amazing, like when NJ reopened I-287 within a week after the floods tore out the right lane, shoulder, and guide rail near Boonton in 2011.

[agentsteel53]

To post before another noticed someone else posted the same thing. Used more often in car-forums, as it means one reaction time was quicker than another, such as a "christmas tree" is used in drag racing.

http://www.staginglight.com/guide/react.html

Guess that term isn't used much on other boards, but ninja'd might be the closest thing to it.

thanks!  I figured out what you meant from context, but had wondered about the etymology.