For the second time in a little over a month, a bridge in western Iowa’s Adair County has been hit by a truck, causing traffic to be rerouted off Interstate 80. The Iowa Department of Transportation reports the westbound Interstate 80 bridge near Casey was damaged when it was struck by a truck hauling an excavator.
DOT Transportation Planning Director Scott Suhr, based in Atlantic, says the accident happened Monday night as the truck was traveling south on Antique Country Drive. “I’m not sure if it was an oversized load or if the load wasn’t at the proper height,” Suhr said. “But, it did some damage.”
The same bridge was hit in nearly the same location on March 4. Suhr said when the north end of the bridge was hit last month by a dump truck, one of the concrete beams was damaged. This time, three or possibly four beams are damaged.
Westbound traffic on I-80 is being rerouted using the entrance and exit ramps at Casey. DOT bridge inspectors are on the scene. Suhr said the bridge will remain closed until it is deemed safe for traffic. The accident that occurred during the early morning hours on March 4 happened when 62-year old Duane Nelson of Casey forgot to lower the box on a dump truck.
As the vehicle was traveling southbound on Antique Country Drive, south of Casey, the truck box hit the westbound I-80 bridge support beam. The impact tore the box section off of the truck, but it became wedged against the support beam at the point of impact. The Iowa State Patrol cited Nelson for driving a vehicle with excessive height.
By Ric Hansen, KJAN, Atlantic