The newly installed Jersey Wall is being credited with reducing damage and possibly saving lives after a three semi pile up closed Interstate 80 on the Pequop Mountains four hours Monday evening.
According to Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman Jim Stewart a wind gust contributed to the first crash
Sahaj Singh, from Turlock, was traveling west bound on I-80 half way down Pequop when he lost control of his truck trailer. Singh said a gust of wind contributed to the crash. The semi jackknifed and blocked both wet bound lanes.
A second commercial driven by Eileen Piehl, Aberdeen, SD came upon the accident, pulled over to the right shoulder and was warning motorists on her CB radio of the accident.
A third commercial vehicle driven by George Soriano, Tracy, CA came upon the accident, and Soriano tried to avoid collision with the parked semi and jackknifed semi. He hit the right guard rail, then hit the trailer of the parked semi and jackknifed. His trailer also blocked the west bound travel lanes and part of the east bound lanes.
Minor injuries were reported on all drivers. However according to Stewert the pile up could have been much worse.
“I don’t think there is any question that the Jersey Wall contained the accident and may have saved lives.
A Jersey barrier or Jersey wall is a modular concrete barrier employed to separate lanes of traffic. It is designed to minimize vehicle damage in cases of incidental contact while still preventing crossover in the case of head-on accidents.
It was installed on the Pequop section of I-80 last summer.
A typical Jersey barrier stands 32 inches (81 cm) tall and is made of steel-reinforced poured concrete. Many are constructed with the embedded steel reinforcement protruding from each end, allowing them to be incorporated into permanent emplacements when linked to one another by sections of fresh concrete poured on site.
The design of the Jersey barrier was specifically intended to minimize damage in incidental accidents and reduce the likelihood of a car crossing into oncoming lanes in the event of a collision. In common shallow angle hits, sheet metal damage is minimized by allowing the vehicle tires to ride up on the lower sloped face. Head-ons are minimized by gradually lifting the vehicle and pivoting it away from oncoming vehicles and back into traffic heading in its original direction.