Downed utility pole closes I-94 near College Ave. for (about 5) hours
By Sharif Durhams and Breann Schossow of the Journal Sentinel
July 5, 2011
I-94 near W. College Ave. was closed for about
five hours Tuesday after a downed utility pole sent wires across the freeway, according to the Milwaukee County sheriff's office.
Deputies closed the freeway in both directions from about 1:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Barry McNulty, a We Energies spokesman, said a dump truck clipped a cable television line in the area, bringing down a utility pole. It also brought down electrical wires attached to the pole.
About 1,000 We Energies customers lost electrical power because of the accident, but service was restored for most of the customers by the time the freeway was reopened, McNulty said.
Repairs were delayed because the work crews had trouble getting through the traffic congestion created by the accident, McNulty said.
To keep the service interruption for the remaining customers affected to a minimum, technicians chose to replace the pole rather than to cut and restring new wires, McNulty said.
Crews also had to inspect the area to make sure no other poles or equipment were damaged, he said.
Northbound I-94 traffic was redirected off the interstate at College Ave. while the freeway segment was closed. Southbound traffic was diverted to westbound I-894.
So can you guess who was inside the Northbound traffic at 5pm needed going just two miles further? Me! Idling ATGATT in 95 degree weather burned a bunch of fuel. I mean I had a mesh jacket on but still. Was running on fumes because I thought I'd be off in plenty of time to get gas near home.
I do not envy Texas summer commuters who do heat for a living...
PS. AND, there was a pickup truck on fire in the morning that I passed on I-94 during my morning commute. Had to sweep away from the right lane quickly as traffic slowed to watch. Darn gapers' block![
So what I did for my Connie was fill up her tank and take her to the Milwaukee Brewers' baseball game that night. Motorcycle parking down in front is really nice./font]
