Crash renders U.S. 95 overpass in Athol partially unusable
A westbound lane closure on the Brunner Road bridge over U.S. 95 near Athol will extend through winter until repairs can be made to the overpass in the spring.
Courtesy of Idaho Transportation Department
ATHOL — The westbound lane of the bridge on Brunner Road over U.S. 95 will be closed through winter. The bridge was struck by an oversized load Monday, according to a press release from the Idaho Transportation Department.
An excavator being hauled on a large semi-trailer was not properly secured, and the bucket shifted during transport, causing it to exceed the posted height clearance and strike the bridge as the truck passed beneath, ITD said.
ITD staff inspected the bridge and, based on their recommendation, the outside westbound lane of the bridge will be closed for the remainder of winter. The decision will prevent load restrictions from being put in place on the entire structure, leaving one lane in each direction open for travel.
Crews will also be inspecting the damaged areas weekly.
The driver who caused the crash was cited by law enforcement. ITD will be working with insurance companies to recover costs for damage repairs, the release said.