Truck Driver Cited After Hitting Bridge On I-93 In Medford
MEDFORD (CBS) - Police say the Alabama man driving the truck carrying a huge blue metal water tank that struck a bridge was not permitted to drive on I-93 in Medford. Also, the load on the truck was 9 inches too high for the bridge it crashed into Monday, with a maximum clearance of 14 feet.
The driver was cited, and now faces a $210 fine. "There's going to be lane restrictions in place. That's likely going to take months," said MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver.
Long after the truck was cleared from the scene, some drivers were circling around Roosevelt Circle looking for alternative routes. "I always went up to 93. I'm used to driving the highway," said Josephine Sarno. "I'm going to go home," she said.
It was all because the oversized load on the truck owned by Dove Transportation hit the bottom of the Medford overpass. "The loudest thing I ever heard," said neighbor Karen Sullivan. "It shook the house."
MassDOT crews are now demolishing a damaged steel beam and section of the bridge deck, before replacing it. "The goal is to get it open for tomorrow morning," Gulliver said Tuesday, adding that "it's looking more and more like tomorrow morning's commute is also going to be impacted."
He said the bridge work will take much longer, six to eight months. MassDOT expects ripple-effect back-ups on roads like Route 1, Route 16, Route 28, and Roosevelt Circle here. They're asking people to consider using public transportation or working from home.
