Oversized load on semi hits railroad trestle near Ephrata
Grant County Fire District No. 13/courtesy photo An oversized load on a semi-truck crashed into a railroad trestle near Ephrata on Tuesday and caused a long road closure.
EPHRATA — An oversized load on a semi-truck hit a railroad trestle near Ephrata on Tuesday and caused a long traffic delay.
Trooper Brian Moore said the semi-truck that caused the wreck, which was towing a pump house, was one of three that left the Spokane area early Tuesday morning. Two of the trucks took Highway 2 and were able to avoid the train trestle on state Route 28, but the other truck missed the turn.
“The pilot car had a 14-foot measuring stick; however, it was a 16-foot structure. So they improvised a two-foot extension. However, while they were driving that extension fell over. He (the truck driver) went under the trestle and the 16-foot pumphouse structure was unable to make it.”
The structure hit the trestle and ended up blocking the road north of Neva Lake Road. Because of the potential damage to the railroad trestle, the WSP had to wait for a BNSF inspector to examine the trestle.
Traffic was diverted onto Neva Lake Road to Dodson Road for about six hours until the BNSF inspector determined the trestle was safe and there was no structural damage to the bridge. Moore said the driver of the semi, whose name has not been released, was cited for having an over-height load.
Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.
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