Truck backup on nb I-75 caused fatal accident

[detroitbob]

By all media reports a back up of tractor trailers on NB I75 at Livernois resulted in a fatal accident as a converted van rear ended the last tractor trailer in the line up. One adult and one 2 year old boy were killed.

This has been a ongoing situation for years as anyone who drives this route can testify to. I wish Matty and his minions could be held liable for this accident as access to their bridge has been delayed by their long term stall tactics. This is not the first accident and may not be the first fatal due to this mess.

[Gannon]

Tonight?!

OMG, yeah, that was one of the most terrible backups I've seen recently...it was a mess for over a mile.

I drove through there around five...must've just missed this crash. Yuck.

[Gannon]

Here is a link to the WDIV coverage of the accident...

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/28969053/detail.html


They need to hire editors who know the difference between "breaking" and "braking".


Ugh.

[Zacha341]

Yeah, WXYZ interviews a driver of that area referencing this back up pattern that occurs right after the "Rouge" overpass or freeway bridge from trucks lined up for the Canada bridge exit. Like a curve or something. I rarely drive I-75 down there and not sure, but I have seen the trucks backed up from around Fort street and W. Grand Blvd where I do drive sometimes. Sad, and from the look of it the van was clearly not able to stop in time.

http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/...thwest-detroit

[SWMAP]

I've seen these big back-ups recently that are reminiscent of the back-ups in the months following 9-11. But I think these are due to night work repairing the Ambassador's road bed. I know that crews work at night with big lights.

[Gannon]

Sad, and from the look of it the van was clearly not able to stop in time.

That is an understatement.

I go down to the Calder Dairy store on Southfield and Fort every once in a while...and this was my route home...I'm not usually on this freeway, and try to avoid them all during rush hour. Suffered one idiot who was lane-hopping all the way from Southfield over the big bridge...trying to get to 90 when traffic was clearly all doing 70. I always enjoy staying with them or slightly ahead, sometimes I wave.

Rounded that curve and dip after the West End/Springwells exit in the right-hand lane [[because almost nobody ever uses that over the Rouge Bridge)...still watching bozo changing lanes in his new Ford, since he finally got in front of me...only to have to change lanes myself, rather quickly just after Livernois, to avoid the trucks at a dead stop in that lane.


I noticed that it was particularly backed up yesterday...so damn tragic. How many people have to die before they put up some warning signs? Why have we installed two generations of electronic signage that at best can merely remind us that wearing seat belts is a good idea? They make me crazy when they have to say inane crap that should be common fucking sense!

<sigh>

[Zacha341]

^^^^ I think I finally have the area in mind now -- I-75 going coming east after the big heel over the Rouge plant heading towards the bridge exits. Ugh. I'm rarely on that freeway area, and get spooked a bit by that bridge despite being a otherwise confident driver and then there's a curve too... a perfect recipe for wrecks. Condolences to the families of the victims.

[Blueidone]

The truck traffic may be a major problem...but according to the report I heard there weren't even any skid marks from the van. Is the sight distance that short that you wouldn't be able to tell there was a back-up and hit the brakes, at least?

I know I have been through that area, but I am not really familiar with it. Can someone enlighten me?

[j to the jeremy]

If you ask Maroun, this never happens. There is no traffic, no demand for a second bridge. And his shitty detours don't play any role in backing up 75....

Seriously though, that's a terrible wreck and a tragic one at that. RIP.

[Gannon]

Blue,

I was there around the same time...and that last white truck [[an odd number of them were white and new-looking, actually) was a weird optical illusion in the midst of the sea of moving vehicles. I had to swerve at the last minute, and I had been paying attention to the flow for miles...making smooth moves to keep up with the harsh-lane-changer.

He wasn't the problem...nor was I...the stopped trucks were backed up longer than usual, from previous experience. I've never seen it worse, actually.


A few of the trucks were akilter in the lineup, as it seemed a few of the drivers were aggravated, a big red-cabbed one just before the entrance ramp looked as if he had given up and was going to return to traffic at the last minute. It was a mess.

[Bigb23]

They used to have [[still do?) that problem on EB 696 to the NB 75 ramp at rush hour. In a shop truck, and unfamiliar with the traffic at that hour, I was pacing traffic at 60 mph in the right lane when I realized that the traffic ahead was at a complete stop a 1/4 mile from the ramp entrance.
Slamming on the brakes and swerving onto the shoulder saved my ass and somebody else's.
Of course, once on the shoulder, nobody would let me merge back in.
They should of had portable warning signs or something 3/4 of a mile ahead when they knew they had a daily traffic hazard.

[Detroit Signal]

Why have we installed two generations of electronic signage that at best can merely remind us that wearing seat belts is a good idea? They make me crazy when they have to say inane crap that should be common fucking sense!

Well said. Waste of money and ineffective.

[jtw]

...and that last white truck [[an odd number of them were white and new-looking, actually) was an odd illusion in the midst of the sea of moving vehicles. I had to swerve at the last minute, and I had been paying attention to the flow for miles...

Bingo - I'm not on that freeway all too often but last week I was there. Got on NB-75 at Livernois, looked like traffic was moving until all of a sudden I was nearly out of room. It was a really tough merge, and I can see how someone might not be able to make the move, especially if they had even less time. It was as if the stopped vehicles [[almost all trucks) came out of nowhere.

[sirrealone]

They used to have [[still do?) that problem on EB 696 to the NB 75 ramp at rush hour. In a shop truck, and unfamiliar with the traffic at that hour, I was pacing traffic at 60 mph in the right lane when I realized that the traffic ahead was at a complete stop a 1/4 mile from the ramp entrance.
Slamming on the brakes and swerving onto the shoulder saved my ass and somebody else's.
Of course, once on the shoulder, nobody would let me merge back in.
They should of had portable warning signs or something 3/4 of a mile ahead when they knew they had a daily traffic hazard.

What I always found in that scenario is that the entire freeway would end up slowing down. The people getting over from the right to the right-center lane would slow both lanes down, then people from the right-center lane would get over to avoid that, and so on and so forth until all four lanes were slowed/stopped around that interchange, especially since there are usually high traffic volumes as well. It's a pain to stop there especially if you're going as through traffic, but I guess it's probably better than having these types of accidents if only one lane were to stop.

I guess traffic volumes aren't as high on the I-75 stretch to where that cascading slowdown across all lanes takes place.

That's awful and as a father to a two year old son, that a two year old died as well is especially heartbreaking.

[Rocko]

Suffered one idiot who was lane-hopping all the way from Southfield over the big bridge...trying to get to 90 when traffic was clearly all doing 70. I always enjoy staying with them or slightly ahead, sometimes I wave.

I'm definitely going to wave at the next guy like this I run into....hilarious idea!

On a more serious note, I got stuck in all the truck traffic on Fort between the bridge and Junction today as a result of this accident. The lights would change and the trucks would just clog up more.....sad....unnecessary....ridiculous.

[Gannon]

Rocko,

The 'game' is to set your cruise control at exactly the speed limit, and out-maneuver them by watching far ahead in traffic and gauging the flow of the various lanes.

It is usually pretty easy, especially if you know the roads and traffic behavior.


In all honesty, I used to be that one trying to get to 100 mph all the time. This is my very enjoyable penance...LOL!


Cheers

[Zacha341]

^^^^^ You're brave G. LOL! I find I can rarely set my cruise control in the tri-county area, saving that for long distance driving. I tend to be the person who moves out of the way of the person coming up on me doing 90! And I drive pretty fast... I am amazed at people who try to drive super fast on I-94 with its tendency to 'lock up' at a seconds notice.......

[Blueidone]

Gannon....thanks for that perspective. As I said, I am not too familiar with that area, although I have been through there before. I withdraw my concern of the driver's lack of attention.

Bigb...it's still like that...every day. I used to work in Southfield and lived in Warren. I travelled that section every day. The ramps from Woodward and Campbell/Hilton and the exit ramp to I-75 are all too close together. You have people trying to exit to I-75 moving to the right, and people coming onto the freeway from the cross streets trying to go to the left. Plus you have the back up that results every time there is heavy traffic getting onto I-75. There is an accident there generally every day, at least one, during the afternoon rush.

[Detroitej72]

The 'game' is to set your cruise control at exactly the speed limit, and out-maneuver them by watching far ahead in traffic and gauging the flow of the various lanes.

It is usually pretty easy, especially if you know the roads and traffic behavior.

Ha! I knew there was a reason I liked you Gannon. My wife gets annoyed when I do that, but I always feel compelled to do this especially when the other driver seems to be an arrogant type.

[Scottathew]

If traffic is already backed up at this crossing I can't see how Money-Grubbing-Mouron can whine about the state wanting to make another, separate crossing with direct freeway-to-freeway access from 75 to the 401.

[SWMAP]

The back-up may be due to two things: a crack-down by the U.S Customs, thus slowing truck travel. Or the road-bed repairs on the Bridge this summer. I traveled across the Bridge last week and it was difficult due to construction.