Gov. Ned Lamont and Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto on Friday provided an update on the ongoing demolition of the Fairfield Avenue Bridge over Interstate 95 in Norwalk, a day after an explosion closed the highway.
— an announcement from the governor and the state transportation department, followed by an announcements from U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy and from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
After the major motor vehicle collision which rendered the bridge unusable early morning on Thursday, work to remove the damaged structure began at 8:30 a.m., Friday. Crews will continue working on this around the clock through the weekend. Once the bridge is removed, sections of I-95 will be milled and paved in both directions in the area.
All lanes of I-95 northbound and southbound in Norwalk will remain closed until further notice. I-95 northbound lanes are closed to all traffic at Exit 14 and I-95 southbound lanes are closed to all traffic at Exit 15.
Photo from the Connecticut Department of Transportation
Work continued on demolishing the Fairfield Avenue bridge on Friday afternoon, when this photo was taken.
Drivers are urged to avoid the area and use public transportation services. Commercial vehicles should use I-84 as an alternate route through Connecticut.
The goal is to have the highway reopened by the morning rush hour commute on Monday, May 6.
“I am strongly urging all drivers — whether you’re in a passenger vehicle or a commercial vehicle — to completely avoid I-95 this weekend,” Lamont said. “Additional traffic is only going to make things harder for everyone. Please use public transportation if you need to move through the area.
“Heroic local and state first responders got the crash cleared and the fire under control yesterday, and now the amazing team with the Connecticut Department of Transportation, as well as our contractor teams, are going to be working all weekend under immense pressure to get the highway reopened,” he said. “I appreciate their hard work and dedication to the people of Connecticut.”
“We are going to be working 24/7 throughout the weekend,” Eucalitto said. “Thank you to the Connecticut Department of Transportation and contractor staff who are going to be working around the clock to get I-95 reopened by Monday morning.
Eucalitto thanked state and local police for helping to direct traffic and keep the roads safer. He said the Federal Highway Administration and its chief, Shailen Bhatt have provided “continuous support.”
At the request of Lamont and Eucalitto, Metro-North Railroad will provide additional weekend service and increased capacity on trains on the New Haven Line.
Following the emergency declaration signed by Lamont on Thursday, May 2, the State of Connecticut today submitted a letter of intent to the Federal Highway Administration to pursue emergency relief funds. As part of the request, the Connecticut Department of Transportation is requesting an expedited release of $3 million to assist with the initial response.
Drivers are asked to remain patient and follow all posted signage. The public can visit CTroads.org for the latest update through the weekend and view the live traffic cameras in the area.
Senator Murphy: Leaked Fuel May Endanger Watershed;
Transportation Secretary: If Spillage Happened, We’ll Do Everything We Can
Quotes and information from a news release issued by U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy:
When U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy questioned U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at a committee hearing Thursday, hours after the fire closed the highway, Murphy noted that a huge amount of fuel may have leaked into nearby watersheds.
Buttigieg said he and other top officials in his department stood ready to do what they can if fuel leaked.
“Early estimates are that they are 8,500 gallons of fuel that have leaked from this tanker, and we’ve got to make sure that the surrounding communities and watershed are safe,” Murphy said.
“I just wanted to get your commitment that you’ll be working all throughout the day, personally and through your staff, to make sure that we assess the damage, we get crews out there, and we get the highway and the overpass open as safe as it is possible for commuters and residents,” he said.
“Absolutely,” Buttigieg said. “I spoke to Gov. Lamont earlier this morning and the Federal Highway Administrator is tracking this personally. We’ll get PHMSA [federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration] involved, if appropriate, given any spillage that might be in play. And we’ll do everything we can to help everybody get back to normal there.”
Metro-North Adds Train Cars
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Metro-North Railroad on Friday announced additional weekend service and increased capacity on trains for the Monday morning commute to help local residents avoid the major road closure on I-95 in Norwalk.
— This announcement from Metro-North was last updated at 11:45 a.m., Friday
Additional Weekend Service
On Saturday and Sunday, May 4 and 5, four additional trains will operate on the New Haven Line, departing New Haven en route to Grand Central Terminal (GCT) at 8:29 a.m. and 9:26 a.m. and departing GCT en route to New Haven at 4:53 p.m. and 6:59 p.m.
Additional cars will be added to several New Haven Line trains to increase passenger-carrying capacity.
Station Ambassadors will be available to assist customers at New Haven station on both Saturday and Sunday.
Yankees Service
The Yankees host the Detroit Tigers on Friday at 7:05 p.m., Saturday at 1:05 p.m., and Sunday at 1:35 p.m. Metro-North’s Yankee Clipper trains and shuttle trains between GCT, Harlem-125th Street, and Yankees-E 153rd Street stations will operate on their usual game-day schedules.
For all games, Metro-North also adds a stop at Yankees-E 153rd Street station to many Hudson Line express and local trains to provide more options for fans traveling to and from the game.
Service Plan for Monday, May 6
With people expected to leave the car home and use public transit on Monday morning, Metro-North will add cars to its regularly scheduled trains to provide extra capacity. This will provide customers with the most comfortable ride to and from stations along the New Haven Line.
Station ambassadors will be available, as usual, at New Haven, Bridgeport, South Norwalk, and Stamford stations from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. to provide customer assistance and answer questions.
Metro-North is working closely with the Connecticut Department of Transportation regarding the repairs on I-95 and will make schedule adjustments as needed until all lanes are fully reopened.
For information on the status of I-95, please see the Connecticut DOT’s web site here.
How to Get the Latest Announcements
The MTA offers customers a variety of ways to receive real-time and planned service change information as well as 24/7 customer support in their native language:
mta.info – The definitive source for real-time arrival information and service change information for each line or route in the MTA system. Customers can find current statuses on mta.info and upcoming planned service changes using our lookup tool at mta.info/alerts.
TrainTime app – The MTA’s TrainTime app is the essential companion to navigating the MTA’s commuter rail system. Customers can plan their trip, purchase tickets, check train status, and chat with customer service, all in one app. The app is available in the Apple Store and in Google Play.
Email & Text Alerts – Customers can sign up for email and SMS alerts tailored to their specific commutes and travel times as well as sign up for MTA newsletters. Customers can sign up here.
511 – For those who prefer to contact the MTA by telephone, information is available by dialing 511. Connecticut customers should call 877-690-5114. Those who are deaf or hard of hearing can use their preferred service provider for the free 711 relay to reach the MTA at 511.