WASHINGTON — A garbage truck hit a bridge over the Monocacy River in Frederick County, Maryland, and officials say it could be 60 days before it’s open to traffic again.
Around noon Wednesday, a garbage truck being towed struck several of the overhead steel beams of the steel truss bridge that carries Maryland Route 355 over the river.
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Officials say that, in order to complete repairs and make sure the bridge is safe, the bridge may stay closed for 60 days.
All traffic is being detoured to I-270.
“The damaged sections of the bridge will need to be removed and new steel beams fabricated, installed and inspected before the bridge can reopen,” MDOT SHA District 7 Engineer John Concannon said in the release. “As the holidays approach, traffic will increase near the malls, so MDOT SHA is expediting repairs to the bridge and will open it as soon as possible.”
Those traveling on MD 80/Fingerboard Road will be detoured to northbound I-270 from the south. Drivers on MD 85/Buckeystown Pike will be detoured to southbound I-270 from the north.
MDOT recommends drivers give themselves additional travel time due the detours.
Md. 355 bridge over the Monocacy closed “until further notice,” according to SHA. Garbage truck struck support beams. More on @frednewspost: https://t.co/eounAcEg4O (Photo by @brewguy55) pic.twitter.com/TpfsecnzDR
— Jeremy Arias (@Jarias_Prime) December 6, 2017
Below is the area where the crash happened.
MD-355 in Montgomery County was closed Friday when a car crashed into a pole and knocked down wires onto the road.
The bridge was originally built in 1930.
It carries an average of 12,100 vehicles per day.
