March 29, 2024

Iowa officials hope new overpass reduces crashes

SIOUX CITY (AP) — Officials are hoping that work to raise overpasses on Interstate 29 will reduce frequent crashes by vehicles hauling tall loads.

On Tuesday, a sand silo being carried on a tractor-trailer struck the bottom of an overpass with a 15-foot clearance near Salix, the Sioux City Journal reported. The silo landed in the interstate’s median, hitting two parked vehicles. The semitrailer struck a construction crane in a ditch.

The driver was taken to and later released from a Sioux City hospital after the accident.

The interstate’s southbound lanes were shut down for several hours while crews cleared the road of the wreckage and transportation department inspectors examined the overpass to ensure no loose concrete would fall onto the highway.

Dakin Schultz of the state’s transportation department said that since 1997, the overpass that was struck by the silo has been repaired five times after being hit by truck loads. Schultz said those are the ones that have been just reported though. He said he could name at least three other times the overpass has been hit.

Transportation officials say that overpass will soon be gone and replaced with a taller one, with a 16.5-foot clearance, set to open later this year.

Another overpass near Salix is expected to be replaced in 2016.

“We hope this reduces the number of incidents with overheight loads,” Schultz said.