NOT SO LUCKY 07-07-07 FOR ONE TRUCK DRIVER

It started out to be a very nice Saturday morning drive until we hit the Illinois/Wisconsin state line and billows of black smoke could be seen ahead. Brake lights were rapidly being lit up in front of us as traffic slowly stopped. Craig, who always has his toys handy, grabbed for his scanner and we quickly picked up on the police and fire transmissions. They were shutting down Interstate 39/90 in both directions as a fuel tanker had been involved in an accident, was on fire, and to make matters worse, it was under an overpass.

We heard the Sergeant trying to make decisions on how best to route the traffic that was now backing up for miles. You could tell from the conversations that they didn't have enough personnel on hand to handle such a major road closure and the impact it would have on the surrounding areas. As emergency equipment was trying to get by on our right side, impatient drivers where turning around and heading back towards town on our left side.

We of course were quite content to sit, watch and listen to the activity going on around us as were the people who had pulled off at the rest area. They were gathered around sitting on the brick planters waiting for something to happen. But sit we all did until we heard that we would likewise be turned around as they were not letting anyone by the accident scene or near the overpass until it had been inspected by engineers.

This proved to be very interesting as Craig maneuvered a U-turn on the two lane interstate and then proceeded to go south in the northbound lanes. The on ramp was now the off ramp for us as we followed the long line of vehicles, buses, and trucks being diverted onto Highway 51 through Beloit.

Now Beloit is not a large town, just under 36,000 people, but today it was a thriving metropolis of more people and traffic than they were ready for. The back up through town was unreal. I've seen parades move faster than we were moving. It must have been fascinating for the town folk as well, as we saw groups of people either sitting or standing, pointing at and watching the long line of traffic inch it's way through town. Between the added traffic and the farmer's market downtown, it made for a very exciting morning in Beloit.

What could have made it more exciting was the train that decided to go through town during this traffic fiasco. The way traffic was backed up, I thought for sure we were going to be caught up in yet another accident. Thankfully, everyone paid heed to the railroad crossing and the train made it through town safely, as did we. A fifteen mile detour around the accident gave us an opportunity to see downtown Beloit, which we surely wouldn't have seen otherwise.


Lucky for us, not so lucky for that other truck driver.