‘There is an enormous sign that reads: LOW CLEARANCE’: Truck strikes, gets stuck beneath Westwood railroad bridge
Trains went at a reduced speed over the bridge while inspectors evaluated it.
Just like its predecessor, the new East Street railroad bridge in Westwood claimed a victim Friday morning as what appears to be a Hood truck struck it and became wedged beneath.The truck hit the bridge, which was just installed last month, around 6:05 a.m., and the driver was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, police said. The driver was cited for the incident.
***PRESS RELEASE***
East Street Bridge Accident Friday, December 14, 2018. pic.twitter.com/YQiiYVwD72— Westwood Police (@WestwoodPD) December 14, 2018
Franklin Line commuter rail trains, which travel over the bridge, were delayed “up to 5 minutes” while inspectors evaluated it, according to the MBTA.
Franklin Line trains may be delayed up to 5 minutes near Islington while moving at restricted speed over the East Street Bridge which was struck by a truck. Crews are on scene making inspections and minimzing the impact to train traffic.
— MBTA Commuter Rail (@MBTA_CR) December 14, 2018
Update: The truck has been cleared from under the East Street Bridge and normal service is resuming on the Franklin Line.
— MBTA Commuter Rail (@MBTA_CR) December 14, 2018
“There is an enormous sign that reads: LOW CLEARANCE,” MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said in an email to Boston.com when asked about the incident.
Traffic on East Street was closed on both sides while the truck was pulled out. The road reopened at 8:55 a.m.
“There was no obvious structural damage to the bridge,” police said.
Pesaturo added that the bridge had “some minor damage to a catwalk, but no significant structural damage.”
The bridge’s predecessor had taken a number of blows from trucks over the years. Westwood police even created a YouTube channel several years ago that appears to be solely devoted to crashes at the site.
The MBTA is currently in the process of increasing the bridge’s clearance, which was 10 feet, 6 inches.
The new train bridge brought the clearance to 12 feet (signs at the bridge still have the old height). In the spring, the road is set to be lowered, Pesaturo said; then clearance will go to 13 feet, 6 inches.
https://twitter.com/KeolisBoston/status/1062339423122190336
