Sinkhole on I-93 in Concord

[SIKSUKR]

I wouldnt have wanted to be the guy on his mc that went over the dip at 60 mph right before it was discovered.

[magicrobotmonkey]

http://www.nh1.com/news/photos-car-c...-11-in-flames/

[chipj29]

The traffic in the greater Concord area while I-93 north was closed yesterday was insane. I really hope this helps start a discussion at NH DOT on how to handle this type of event in the future. They need a real traffic plan, because whatever they were doing yesterday did not work.

Anyway, the sinkhole was caused by an old storm drain that rain from Storrs st (behind the Market Basket) that just gave out. Last night they filled in that storm drain with cement, then filled the sinkhole and paved it. I think it is a temporary solution (as far as the storm drain goes). However on the bright side, that storm drain emptied either directly into the Merrimack River or right next to it. Nasty stuff. Hopefully the can come up with a permanent solution that does not impact I-93 or the Merrimack.

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by chipj29

The traffic in the greater Concord area while I-93 north was closed yesterday was insane. I really hope this helps start a discussion at NH DOT on how to handle this type of event in the future. They need a real traffic plan, because whatever they were doing yesterday did not work.

Chip what are you talking about....

Anytime something major like this happens of course traffic is going to be a mess as they take people off the high and divert them around. Bottom line the streets, and stop lights where not set for the extra traffic that had to be unloaded on them... I know someone who went through the area while this was going on, and they said given the situation, it was all very well marked and seems to flow as best as could be expected.

This was a freak occurrence, and I think they DOT did an excellent job getting it corrected as quickly as they did..... Of course if people complain I am sure the DOT will be more then happy not to expend this much effort in the future, and instead come up with detailed plans of how to handle these situation, that will incorporate spending time finding the best most convenient detour route first, and then worrying about the problem....

To do what was done in the time frame it was done in, is nothing short of extraordinary... My hats are off to NH DOT!!!!!!

[chipj29]

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

Chip what are you talking about....

Anytime something major like this happens of course traffic is going to be a mess as they take people off the high and divert them around. Bottom line the streets, and stop lights where not set for the extra traffic that had to be unloaded on them... I know someone who went through the area while this was going on, and they said given the situation, it was all very well marked and seems to flow as best as could be expected.

This was a freak occurrence, and I think they DOT did an excellent job getting it corrected as quickly as they did..... Of course if people complain I am sure the DOT will be more then happy not to expend this much effort in the future, and instead come up with detailed plans of how to handle these situation, that will incorporate spending time finding the best most convenient detour route first, and then worrying about the problem....

To do what was done in the time frame it was done in, is nothing short of extraordinary... My hats are off to NH DOT!!!!!!

I think this situation was handled mostly OK. However, once cars were directed to exit the highway, they were mostly on their own. I agree that there really isn't much more that they could do though given the amounts of traffic in that area already.

My point is this:
When you travel 93 south of Manchester, they have green trailers set up in some of the median turn arounds. These trailers have cones and other traffic management devices that the NHSP and DOT are supposed to use when there are incidents on the highway to divert traffic. There are also traffic management plans in place where if the highway needs to be closed, there are signed routes to follow. I am not aware of any of that in Concord.

[SunsetPointWentworth]

Our plan to get rid of upthesaukee, foiled again. We will get you next time. Don't you worry.
- Wiley Coyote-

[Shreddy]

Originally Posted by chipj29

I think this situation was handled mostly OK. However, once cars were directed to exit the highway, they were mostly on their own. I agree that there really isn't much more that they could do though given the amounts of traffic in that area already.

My point is this:
When you travel 93 south of Manchester, they have green trailers set up in some of the median turn arounds. These trailers have cones and other traffic management devices that the NHSP and DOT are supposed to use when there are incidents on the highway to divert traffic. There are also traffic management plans in place where if the highway needs to be closed, there are signed routes to follow. I am not aware of any of that in Concord.

MOST people nowadays have smart phones, almost all of which are GPS enabled. Yes people might have been on their own, but as mentioned this was a freak occurrence. I am sure they can figure an alternative route when off the highway. I think people can tolerate the short-lived headache for something that happens much less than a blue moon. Why is there always something to complain about nowadays? I'd much rather NOT waste tax dollars developing a fluke plan that may never be used.

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by chipj29

I think this situation was handled mostly OK. However, once cars were directed to exit the highway, they were mostly on their own. I agree that there really isn't much more that they could do though given the amounts of traffic in that area already.

My point is this:
When you travel 93 south of Manchester, they have green trailers set up in some of the median turn arounds. These trailers have cones and other traffic management devices that the NHSP and DOT are supposed to use when there are incidents on the highway to divert traffic. There are also traffic management plans in place where if the highway needs to be closed, there are signed routes to follow. I am not aware of any of that in Concord.

Chip,

I don't know what time you went through the area, but I have heard that the Detour at 4 or 5 o'clock in the afternoon was very well marked... My sister and mother, both of whom get lost easily navigated through it with no problem...

[nhcatrider]

The emergency routes through southern NH are a joke with the volume of traffic that is in the area. The problem is the mix of heavy commercial truck traffic and commuters in cars. Trucks can't clear an intersection very fast which slows the whole process down, and most of the surface streets are not designed for large trucks. I watched a driver in a sleeper with a 53 foot trailer make a left turn from Hazen Drive to East Side Drive during the detour and it was tight and slow. I think they did a good job with what they had to work with, but there should be specific truck and car routes.

[chipj29]

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

Chip,

I don't know what time you went through the area, but I have heard that the Detour at 4 or 5 o'clock in the afternoon was very well marked... My sister and mother, both of whom get lost easily navigated through it with no problem...

Fair enough, I stand corrected. I was in the area in the early afternoon (it was around 3pm). It wasn't the traffic coming off the highway (moving away from 93), it was the traffic heading towards 93. Manchester Street was at an absolute crawl, almost from Rt 106 all the way to the 93 junction. This was heading towards the problem area. It took a friend of mine 45 minutes to go from Banks Chevy on Manchester St to Everett Arena on Loudon Rd. That's like a 3 mile drive.

Don't forget that I stated that this event was mostly handled OK. And that I stated that DOT and local govt needs to have a discussion on handling this in the future. In the business world we call it event review/lessons learned, and corrective/preventative actions (what can we do better). I am NOT complaining about how this was handled.

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by chipj29

Fair enough, I stand corrected. I was in the area in the early afternoon (it was around 3pm). It wasn't the traffic coming off the highway (moving away from 93), it was the traffic heading towards 93. Manchester Street was at an absolute crawl, almost from Rt 106 all the way to the 93 junction. This was heading towards the problem area. It took a friend of mine 45 minutes to go from Banks Chevy on Manchester St to Everett Arena on Loudon Rd. That's like a 3 mile drive.

Don't forget that I stated that this event was mostly handled OK. And that I stated that DOT and local govt needs to have a discussion on handling this in the future. In the business world we call it event review/lessons learned, and corrective/preventative actions (what can we do better). I am NOT complaining about how this was handled.

Given the disruption this could of caused hand it happened on a Weekend, I am sure there will be many discussions... The first of which is sure to be inspection of all unused and abandoned storm drains...

[chipj29]

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

Given the disruption this could of caused hand it happened on a Weekend, I am sure there will be many discussions... The first of which is sure to be inspection of all unused and abandoned storm drains...

Yup. Had that been a Friday afternoon, I would not want to be anywhere near there. Not even at my house, which is 5+ miles away.

[MAXUM]

Originally Posted by chipj29

Yup. Had that been a Friday afternoon, I would not want to be anywhere near there. Not even at my house, which is 5+ miles away.

That said, imagine that happening on NASCAR weekend. OUCH!