Wreck may close bridge for months
Published 6:00 am Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Officials say part of Highway 98 could be closed up to threemonths following a Tuesday morning trucking accident on the bridgeover the Homochitto River east of Bude.
A skidder lodged between the road and the bridge’s upper supportstructure following a blowout on the trailer that was hauling thetree-cutting equipment, said Sgt. Rod Crawford, public affairsofficer for Mississippi Highway Patrol Troop M. The accident,involving a truck belonging to L&M Trucking of Roxie, happenedshortly before 10 a.m. Tuesday.
The accident caused heavy damage to the bridge, Crawford said.Mississippi Department of Transportation engineers were on thescene determining how to free the skidder, which was still stuck onthe bridge late Tuesday afternoon.
“They can’t simply grab it with a wrecker,” Crawford said.
MDOT officials announced lane closures as engineers consider howto proceed with repairs.
“The bridge could take up to three months to repair,” Crawfordsaid, citing comments from MDOT District Engineer DarrellBroome.
During the detour, Crawford said, traffic will be diverted ontoa low-weight county road. Due to the low weight limit, signs willbe placed on Highway 84 at Meadville and on Highway 98 at Summit tonotify commercial trucking traffic to avoid the area, Crawfordsaid.
The identity of the log truck driver was not known. Crawfordsaid there were no injuries and no citations were issued in theaccident.