Posted on Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 8:30 a.m.
Eastbound I-94 near Chelsea reopened following series of crashes
By Cindy Heflin
Eastbound I-94 west of Cheslea has been reopened following a series of crashes that closed it for a short time this morning, Sgt. Tony Cuevas with the Ypsilanti Post of the Michigan State Police said.
Cuevas said the first crash happened at 6:10 a.m. when a car slid off the road at I-94 and Kalmbach Road. Other crashes followed, he said.
The highway was reopened by 8:15 a.m., he said. The crashes resulted in no serious injuries, he said.
Comments
Retriever
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 5:24 p.m.
Come on.. what is going on is not the roads fault. It's not a bad section on I-94. The Kalmbach curves are posted 55mph, so why is everyone doing 75 when they go through it? Any speed is adjustable per road conditions, 35mph might have been a safe speed yesterday and today on those curves? Everyday drivers from the Kalmback to Chelsea entrances fly onto I-94 straight into the fast lane, even today (on dicy roads), and I came through there late due to the freeway shut-down. It's the same thing coming home, the driver pushing the limit gets off between the Chelsea/Pierce/Kalmbach Rd exits. It's not exclusive to those drivers - the car banked on the side of the eastbound Pierce Rd entrance ramp/hill on Monday morning flew by me coming out of Jackson. I laughed, and would like to know if thats what he was in a hurry to do? This morning, I heard the road report after I left home, but went back home for an hour. I was late for work, but 'unwrecked.'
cinnabar7071
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 12:30 p.m.
I've driven that section of road hundreds of times without a problem. It's safe. Blaming the road, would be the same as blaming GM for putting a distraction (Radio) in the van Nicholas Wahl was driving. After all if GM hadn't put a radio in his van, Tim Pincikowski would still be alive. How about a little accountability. http://www.annarbor.com/news/nicholas-wahl-negligent-homicide/
cibachrome
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 12:22 p.m.
If you find a common thread among crash history reports, there may be a connection to the kind of materials used in the repaving operation there. There is a portion of 96 up here that never had sliding types of crashes and lately its been a skating rink. The new pavement has a different blend of tar and stone and even sounds different now. Its not the "newness" of the surface IMHO but the tar/stone recipe. The air temps interact with this recipe. Cold means brittle slippery tar. I'm certain that "cost" per mile is a factor...
Sherry
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 10:08 a.m.
It is actually Pierce Rd. through to Zeeb Rd. they need to do something. I was talking with a firefighter not to long ago and he said there are more wrecks and more people killed through that whole stretch that I just mentioned. People do have lead feet and look what happens as a result of that lead. Did they get to where they were headed, no, they are either now dead or injured. I am terrified to be on that whole stretch of E-Way.
Paul Taylor
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 9:28 a.m.
These stories (crashes on 94 near Chelsea) almost always have at least one thing in common: "Kalmbach Road." Perhaps the MDOT should simply erect giant signs thereabouts along 94, reading "Dead Man's Curve" or something to that effect. Maybe THAT would get people's attention.
scooter dog
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 8:57 a.m.
Bad section of I-94, easrbound near kalmbach rd,compounded by lead footed drivers that can't seem to understand what the big yellow and black arrows mean.SLOW DOWN