Oversize takes out I5 bridge in Wash.

Not a "can." That's part of a drilling rig, hence the OW & OH.

 

Either way....Somebody screwed up.....Now the rest of us who take those extra steps to run our OD loads..will get sheyat for it running WA.....

 

Really???????????

 

"...The bridge was not classified as structurally deficient..."functionally obsolete" - a category meaning that the design is outdated, such as having narrow shoulders and low clearance underneath...."

 

So if you read the article, the bridge clearance height wasn't posted, and nobody questioned that considering the nature of the load... before running across the bridge. When the courtroom dust settles, WA DOT will have quite a bit of liability, as will the Pilot car company. Looks like the carrier and driver did what they were supposed to... hope they have lots of insurance.

The accident has nothing to do with the bridge being rated "functionally obsolete." It has everything to do with the truck taking out multiple trusses at the north end of the bridge. That frilly girder work above the roadway is load-bearing structure, not decoration.

 

No Wa. state is not at fault.
They list in the permits that the carrier is to make sure they can clear all over passes. Also on the permit, it might have stated they neede to find a way around the low structure.
It has been a few years since I've hauled a high load through their state. But do remember having such issues on a load through there state.
Also the pilot car should of been qualified through Wa. state or another class cert. that Wa. will allow.
When taking the Wa. class you get a set of maps of the low under passes in their state. I still have my maps.

Now maybe like another poster stated, he was following his pole car to close and could not stop in time. Driver error.
Pole might have slipped down while going down the road. Pilot driver error and faulty equipment.
Load if on air ride trl. bounces up due to rough road and the flex of the air ride and trl. Driver error..

Or 2 people had their head up their arses and not paying attention.
But at least they stopped to report the hit..
Glad nobody died over this..

 

Kinda hard not to stop... driver looked in his rearview mirror and saw the bridge collapse.

 

His permit said "SB Skagit River crossing use left lane". He was only 12' wide so he should not have been in the right lane at all. READ YOUR PERMITS!!! The right lane is about 10" lower at the fog line than the entire left lane. He hit at the fog line.

Supertruckers often feel invincible, im guilty of neglecting the fine print. I have hit at least 5 bridges in 25 years, most fortunately by only a fraction of an inch and with parts of loads that dont knock bridges down. Two were really big hits, but ALL of them were because I didnt pay attention to the fine print.

 

And now the rest of the story.........OS truck got trapped by another semi passing him in the left lane on the bridge.

 

Axelrod blames Republicans on bridge collapse(?)

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/05/24/Axelrod-blames-Republicans

This is after millions were funded in the "Stimulus" package, remember all that talk?