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Good News, Bad News

Posted Jun 6, 2008 by Nicola M. White

Updated Jun 6, 2008 at 06:31 PM

The good: By rush hour Monday morning, southbound travel on Interstate 75 should be significantly less painful, with those long detours through Bradenton eliminated.
The bad: Even though the highway will be passable, expect delays and construction for at least six more weeks.
That’s six weeks of traffic and snail’s-pace driving around the area in northern Manatee County where a tanker truck swerved to avoid a vehicle spinning out of control Wednesday afternoon. The tanker went through the bridge guard rail and fell onto U.S. 301, where it exploded in flames.
The damage was so intense one span over I-75 had to be demolished today. Another span will be taken down this weekend.
Officials offer the following advice: Be patient.
“We’re encouraging drivers to add extra travel time in this area, especially if destinations are time-sensitive,” said Debbie Tower, spokeswoman for the Department of Transportation. “We’re also encouraging drivers to use caution, be patient and show courtesy to other drivers. That’ll keep people moving through the detours and the work zone.”
Southbound travelers have been taking a detour via U.S. 41 through Bradenton to avoid the reconstruction work, causing heavy traffic through Bradenton’s local roads.
By Monday, officials hope that detour will be over and workers will have built two crossovers in the median of I-75, one north of U.S. 301 and one south of the Manatee River. Drivers in both directions will be routed onto what had been the northbound bridge of I-75.
For the six weeks that bridge handles two-way traffic, the speed limit most likely will be reduced to 45 mph, the DOT said in a release today.
Drivers also should expect lane closures and construction crews.
There are no estimates yet about how much the project will cost. Officials will not know the full price tag until after the bridge reconstruction has been completed, Tower said.
The condition of the driver of the tanker truck, Raymond Neumann of Brooksville, was not available Friday. He had previously been reported as in critical condition. Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Doug Dodson said the agency had not heard any updates on the driver’s condition as of tonight.

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Construction Update

Posted Jun 6, 2008 by Mike Wells

Updated Jun 6, 2008 at 05:22 PM

JoAnn May, spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Transportation, gives the following update on the progress in repairing the section of damaged highway:

·      Phase one is progressing very well.  One span has been demolished. Crews are demolishing the second span and also will demolish the pier in the median of US 301. 

·      FDOT expects the crossovers and four lanes of traffic on the northbound bridge to be open by rush hour on Monday morning.

·      Crews are constructing two crossovers in the median of I-75, one north of US 301 and one south of the river. Crews are preparing to convert the northbound I-75 bridge to two-way traffic, with two lanes northbound, two lanes southbound, and a concrete barrier wall dividing north and south bound lanes.

·      Two lanes northbound are in place now on the northbound interstate bridge. When two-way traffic is in place speed limit in this area will be reduced, probably to 45 mph.

·      Work is tentatively scheduled for 9 p.m. tonight to prepare to place barrier wall and it is possible northbound traffic at the bridge may be reduced to one lane.  This work activity is not yet confirmed, however.

·      This weekend, FDOT will receive bids from contractor’s for phase two work and will hire a contractor.

·      When the phase two contractor is hired, mobilization will occur to replace the two damaged spans of the southbound interstate bridge at US 301.

See a map of the planned traffic pattern.

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Lane Closures Set For Tonight

Posted Jun 6, 2008 by Nicola White

Updated Jun 6, 2008 at 04:24 PM

Expect delays on northbound Interstate 75 near U.S. 301.  Traffic there has been reduced from three to two lanes this afternoon so DOT workers can get ready for heavy lifting tonight.

Around 9 p.m., the northbound lanes will be reduced to one lane as workers install barriers to separate north- and southbound traffic.

DOT officials are still optimistic about having the closed parts of the interstate open for traffic by rush hour on Monday, said spokeswoman Debbie Tower.

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‘Stranded In Ellenton,’ Chapter 1

Posted Jun 6, 2008 by Janis Froelich

Updated Jun 6, 2008 at 10:31 AM

What’s it like to have both parents work in Pinellas County and leave their children in Manatee County?

My daughter and her family live in Ellenton and it took her and her chocolate Lab four hours to collect both kids yesterday from two different schools.

And then she almost ran out of gas. I think we should do a story on “Stranded in Ellenton.” (My son-in-law did figure out a pretty good route home, by the way.)

I’m not suggesting use my family, but I think there’s human interest there.

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DOT Rapidly Demolishing I-75 Span

Posted Jun 6, 2008 by Keith Morelli

Updated Jun 6, 2008 at 07:34 AM

Heavy equipment with clawlike booms scraped and tore at the charred remains of the Interstate 75 bridge near Ellenton all through the night, and about three-quarters of one section had been removed by daybreak, said Florida Department of Transportation spokeswoman Debbie Tower just before 8 a.m. today.

“We did start the demolition on the northern span of the southbound lanes at 9:15 last night,” she said, “and we’ve made very good progress. The last update this morning is that a good part of the bridge is down.”

Two sections, or spans, that stretch between supports, or piers, are damaged beyond repair. The bridge is the northern end of the 2-mile span that goes over the Manatee River. The damaged portion actually is over U.S. 301.

Northbound lanes of I-75 remained open, although beginning today, crews will prepare that span for two-way traffic. Tower said the three northbound lanes will be divided down the middle with concrete barriers, making two lanes in each direction. The barriers will be placed beginning today, she said, but the diversion of southbound traffic to the northbound bridge might not begin until next week.

The goal, she said, is to get it done by Monday morning, but realistically, it might not happen until midweek. Fill dirt and pavement crossing the median north of the bridge must be in place before the first southbound vehicles are diverted, she said.

Meanwhile, huge demolition equipment is working around the clock to pull down the structure, she said.

“That’s continuing right now,” she said. “The crane we’re using, we call it the claw. It’s sort of like Pac-Man. It reaches into the beams and claws, grabbing pieces of concrete and pulling it down. The goal is to get them down as quickly as possible so we can start building new spans as quickly as possible.”

Southbound traffic is being diverted from I-75 to Interstate 275 and then south to U.S. 41 into Bradenton and east on State Road 64 back to I-75 south of the river.

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