Transportation News, Volume 25, Number 9, May 2000 Page: 9
16 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 41 x 29 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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May 2000 'h'anspou'tatlon News 9
WRATH OF THE TORNADO
Fort Worth Distbict crews assist in the cleanup of the Calvary Ca heial Church and Cash America bulling.
- e VU7 '4+:2
IA
Broken giass hangs:ro a skyscraper.Fort Worth's skyline
Is marred by damage from the March 28 tornado.
STORM
Continued from Previous page
ple who couldn't make it inside."
Cleanup began immediately. Fort
Worth District maintenance and
construction crews worked through-
out the first night after the storm to
assist in cleanup and to help manage
traffic. TxDOT spent more than
$60,000 in employee salaries and
equipment during the three 13-hour
days to assist the cities in theirfae
efforts.
"Police were using all of their manpower
to block exits and direct traffic. TxDOT
could do that so the police could do their job
elsewhere," said Assistant South Tarrant
County Area Engineer Albert Durant.
"TxDOT closed the exits from Interstates 30
and 35W and directed traffic away from the
damaged downtown businesses so cleanup
could begin."
Crews also fought flash flooding and hail
and handled accidents on area freeways that
night. Two 14,000-pound freeway signs Cockrell directs tramc around dosed streets.
bridges were removed due to damage from
the tornado. Winds were so strong that five
18-wheelers overturned on Tarrant County
freeways.
The swath of damage to homes, businesses
and churches in Tarrant County was likened
to a war zone with upwards of $15 million in
damages. Glass shards crunched under
onlookers' feet. Office furniture was stuck
into cars and lying on the streets along with
crushed computers. Rain-soaked curtains
flapped in the wind of shattered windows.File folders and paper were strewn
across the city.
The morning after the storm,
daylight revealed a militarylike exer-
cise to clean up the area. The dam-
aged communities were divided into
quadrants where workers were
assigned to restore order in Fort
Worth and surrounding communi-
ties.
Fort Worth District employees,
- along with the Texas Forest Service
and the U.S. military removed debris
and countless fallen trees.
"It was amazing to see all of the
TxDOT trucks running everywhere. River
Oaks doesn't have trucks like you do, and
TxDOT shows up to help with their equip-
ment. It was a godsend,"said River Oaks
Mayor Jack Adkison.
Connelly and others at her congregation
are grateful to have survived the tornado,
despite the destruction of their church.
"Everyone really appreciated TxDOT's
efforts to clean up the debris around the
building," Connelly said. "There is no doom
and gloom here!" *9
May 2000
ltansportatlon News
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Texas. Department of Transportation. Transportation News, Volume 25, Number 9, May 2000, periodical, May 2000; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth576386/m1/9/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.