Oklahoma City Bridge Collapses After Truck Crash
Police say that a miscalculation of just four inches is to blame for a partial bridge collapse that occurred after a truck crash in Oklahoma City yesterday.
Truck Too Tall For Oklahoma City Bridge
According to reports, the boom lift on a Sunbelt Rentals truck was too tall for the N. May Avenue bridge and tore the northbound lanes down as it tried to pass under.
Four Inch Difference Between East and Westbound Clearance
Earlier in the day, the truck driver said that he had driven under the bridge eastbound with his load, so he assumed he would be able to pass through the westbound lane with no issues. Unfortunately, the eastbound lanes have a 14 feet 8-inch while the westbound lanes have a 14 feet 4-inch clearance.
No Injuries Reported
Luckily, no injuries were reported as a result of the crash.
The truck driver may be ticketed.
The crash caused huge backups as officials were forced to reroute traffic away from the collapsed bridge.
The city plans to demolish the damaged portion of the bridge as soon as possible, but they say it could be months before all lanes reopen. The Northwest Expressway is closed until further notice.
Oklahoma City bridge collapse is the reason why our bridges and roads are a top priority. Families must be kept safe pic.twitter.com/YUs3RQXVPs
— Mark Assini (@markassini) May 20, 2016