1/31/2012
Repairs to 850 West Road overpass expected this summer
BURLEY – A local road will remain closed where it crosses over Interstate 84 until repairs are made to the bridge structure, the Idaho Transportation Department announced.
The 850 West Road overpass has been closed to traffic since Dec. 13, when the over-extended arm of an excavator struck three of the four girders that span I-84 as it passed beneath the structure on a flat-bed trailer. The overpass is located about three miles west of Burley near milepost 206. After inspection, it was determined that two of the three damaged girders will have to be replaced.
A portion of the roadway will also be removed and replaced to perform the girder replacement. The third damaged girder will be repaired and remain in place. A timeline for repair work to the structure has not been determined but is expected to take place this summer.
The truck, owned by Lancaster Trenching Inc. of Filer, entered I-84 at the Burley Interchange (exit 208) and hit the first, third and fourth girders of the bridge above the westbound lanes. One lane of I-84 was closed for about two days following the collision while crews cleared loose material.
ITD is working with the truck-owner's insurance company to cover the damage to the bridge structure. ITD estimates the repair of the damage to be about $350,000.
Traffic is being detoured to the nearest crossings, at Shodde Road to the west and east to Idaho 27 (North Overland) in north Burley.
The excavator extended above the 16.5-foot minimum clearance of the structure. The legal height for all vehicles without an overlegal permit is 14 feet, which includes the height of the trailer and the load.