Metro-North increasing train service on New Haven line amid I-95 closure

Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News
Updated ·2 min read

Metro-North Railroad will be adding trains to its Connecticut service this weekend while crews work to repair a key stretch of Interstate 95 shut down by a fiery three-vehicle wreck, officials said Friday.

The crash, which shut down all lanes of I-95 in Norwalk, involved a fuel tanker truck that went up in flames, destroying an overpass and damaging the highway blacktop on Thursday.

Two additional Metro-North trains will run on the New Haven line this weekend to boost rider capacity, the MTA said.

The trains will leave New Haven for Grand Central at 8:29 a.m. and 9:26 a.m. and depart Grand Central for New Haven at 4:53 p.m. and 6:59 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

Additional cars will be added to regularly scheduled trains in both directions as well.

Trains will operate on the New Haven line on a regular schedule Monday, transit officials said, but the railroad will continue adding cars to trains to accommodate an anticipated uptick in rail commuters.

Service additions will continue until the heavily traveled roadway is reopened, the MTA said.

The crash happened around 5:30 a.m. Thursday along the southbound side of I-95 in Norwalk, some 45 miles northeast of Manhattan.

No one was seriously injured or killed in the incident, which involved the collision of a fuel tanker, a tractor-trailer and a passenger vehicle. The fuel truck was carrying 8,500 gallons of gasoline, which ignited, damaging the roadway and overpass at Norwalk’s Fairfield Ave.

Work to clear the damaged bridge began early Friday, according to Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont’s office.

Upon removal of the damaged structure, crews will begin milling and repaving the damaged section of highway, which the Governor’s office said “will remain closed until further notice.”

Garrett Eucalitto, the Nutmeg State’s transportation commissioner, said Friday that his crews were aiming to reopen the thoroughfare by Monday.

“We are going to be working 24/7 throughout the weekend,” he said in a statement.