ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

March 29, 2004 10:00 AM, EST

Construction workers in Connecticut worked overtime to open the northbound lanes of Interstate 95 on Sunday, three days after a fire from an accident closed the road in both directions.

In addition, the scheduled reopening of the southbound lanes was pushed up to Thursday, the Associated Press reported. I-95 is the main north-south route along the East Coast.

The lanes had been closed since an oil tanker truck was involved in an accident on an elevated stretch of Interstate 95 on Thursday night in Bridgeport, Conn., starting a huge fire that severely damaged bridges in both directions.

FedEx Corp., UPS Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reported no shipping delays as they rerouted deliveries following the accident, Bloomberg reported.

However, truckers traveling south will still face some challenges, since they are not allowed on one major alternative route, the Merritt Parkway. Although I-84 can be used, transportation officials said to expect delays and heavy traffic, USA Today reported.

An estimated 120,000 vehicles a day, including 15,000 trucks, travel this stretch of road connecting New York and Boston.

for the latest updates from the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

11289